De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol. 2 page 102
Walter Dodd was born at Pemberton, Lancaster 12th August 1893, he was the second son of (the late) John Dodd, Quarry Foreman, and his wife Mary (Woodhorn Quarries, Ashington, Northumberland), daughter of Thomas Monks.
Walter was educated at the Pateley Bridge Board School. After leaving this school he was employed with the Electrical Engineers at the Harrogate Corporation Water Works, Masham, then to the Newbiggin Colliery Company.
He enlisted on the 8th August 1914, and was attached to the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as a machine gunner from the 8th September 1915.
Walter was killed in action at Armentieres 8th November 1915.
The Adjutant of his battalion, Captain C. Southgate wrote: "It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son, Walter Dodd, of this Battalion. As you probably are aware, your son was in the Machine Gun Section, which for the last week or so has been in the trenches. At 7.30 am on 8th November, he was looking over the parapet of the trench, pointing out a sniper's post to a comrade, when he was shot through the head by a sniper. He was instantly killed.
He was buried this morning at 8.30 am in the cemetery. He is a great loss to our Machine Gun Section, as he was a keen soldier and quite fearless, and we are all sorry to lose him."
The Chaplain wrote: "I buried him at 8.30 am this morning in a little soldiers' cemetery close to the place where he fell: a cross will be put up over his grave. He was a happy, popular lad, and whom everyone spoke well of, and who will be mourned by many of his comrades."
Private McKenzie also wrote: "He will be much missed by us, as he was the life and soul of the section, and was well liked by all officers and men, and we all send our deepest sympathy, for he was a good soldier and died a hero".
He was single.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
Margaret Allison said his name was found too late to be added to the new memorial at Ashington A11.43
Walter Dodd is remembered in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea on N10.03
There is a Walter Dodds named in N10.06 and on N10.14
Is this the same man?
