Walter Richard Reeves

Private, Royal West Surrey Regiment/Machine Gun Corps

Walter Richard Reeves was a student at Alleyn’s until 1899. During this time, he lived at 95 Brixton Hill with his parents, Walter and Mary. After leaving school, he found work as a clerk and married his wife, Amelia, on August 22^nd 1910. The couple moved from Brixton Hill to 33 Pathfield Road, Streatham and Amelia gave birth to their first child, Walter, in July 1911. Their second child, Winifred, followed a few years later in December 1911. In 1916, Walter was called up for service at the age of 32. When he was asked on his enrolment papers if there was particular branch of the army that he would like to serve with, he stated he would prefer to serve with the Army Service Corps. Unfortunately for Walter, he was assigned to the infantry as part of the Royal West Surrey Regiment. Walter served with the regiment until March 1917 when he was transferred to Machine Gun Corps, who were in desperate need of recruits. He served with the MGC until the end of the war and returned home to his wife and children in 1919.