THE EXECUTION OF WALTER DOSSETT (1896 - 1918)

The following information was obtained from the web-site of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The first table gives the bare details of Walter's military career and his place of burial

Nationality:

United Kingdom

Rank:

Private

Regiment:

York and Lancaster Regiment

Unit Text:

1st/4th Battalion.

Age:

22

Date of Death:

25/06/1918

Service No:

45980

Additional information:

Son of William and Lily Dossett, of Sheffield.

Casualty Type:

Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:

I. E. 7.

Cemetery:

HAGLE DUMP CEMETERY

The Hagle Dump Cemetery is located 7.5 km west of Ieper town centre on the Sint Pietersstraat, a road leading from the N308 Poperingseweg, connecting Ieper to Poperinge. From Ieper town centre the Poperingseweg (N308), is reached via Elverdingsestraat then directly over two small roundabouts in the J. Capronstraat. The Poperingseweg is a continuation of the J. Capronstraat and begins after a prominent railway level crossing. 6 km along the Poperingseweg, after passing through the villages of Vlamertinge and Brandhoek, lies the right hand turning onto Galgestraat. 1 km along the Galgestraat lies a staggered crossroads. The cemetery lies 300 metres after this crossroads on Sint Pietersstraat.

Notes

The 1901 Census shows Walter's father William as a 34 year old Razor Hafter . He was born in Sheffield as was his wife Lily (nee Dale) who was a year younger than her husband. They had married in the June quarter of 1888 (PRO Ref Vol 9C 509)> The 1901 Census living in House 3 Court 14 Edward Street in the Hollis Croft area of Sheffield - PRO Ref RG13/4365 entry 127. The housing was in one of the poorest and most overcrowded areas of the city. There is a photo that was taken in 1940 that shows Court 3 prior to demolition.

 

SURNAME Age Rel Occupation Place of Birth
DOSSETT William 34 Married Razor Hafter Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Lily 33 Married   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT George 12 Son   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Lily 6 Daughter   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Walter 5 Son   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Linda 3 Daughter   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Julia 1 Daughter   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Lily who presumably was named after her mother was born in the  September quarter of 1894 (PRO Ref Volume 9C Page 453). Walter was born in the June quarter of 1896 (PRO Ref Sheffield Volume 9C page 499).

The 1911 Census has the following information on Walter

Name Walter Dossett
Relationship to Head of Household Son
Condition Single Gender Male
Age 15 Estimated Year of Birth 1896
Occupation Assist Chair Works
Employed Yes 0Working at Home No
Industry Furniture Works
Place of Birth Yorkshire Sheffield
Enumerator Information
Address 44 Martin St Sheffield Parish Ecclesall Town Sheffield
Type of Building Private House Number of Rooms 5 Rooms Inhabited Yes
Reference RG14PN27726 RG78PN1588 RD509 SD2 ED6 SN188
Administrative County Yorkshire (West Riding) Registration District Ecclesall Bierlow Registration Sub District Ecclesall West Central Enumeration District 6

SURNAME Age Rel Occupation Place of Birth
DOSSETT William 44 Married Razor Hafter Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Lily 43 Married   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT George 22 Son Iron Worker Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Lily 16 Daughter Umbrella Rib Maker Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Walter 15 Son Asst Chair Worker Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Linda 13 Daughter Assistant at home Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Julia 11 Daughter School Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT James 8 Son School Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Mary Ann 6 Daughter School Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Albert 3 Son   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DOSSETT Florence 6mths Daughter   Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

According to the information on the form William and Lily had 13 children in total, 9 of which were living in 1911

Martin Street Sheffield 1902

Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes in their book offer the opinion that Walter may have been  a volunteer who did not serve abroad until 1916. This is correct. His service record states that he enlisted in Sheffield on 9th December 1915 and gives his occupation as "Labourer" .  Walter served with three different machine gun companies 143rd (part of 48 Division), 118th (part of 39 Division) and 63rd (part of 21 Division) before being transferred to 1 / 4 Battalion Yorks and Lancs

There is a newspaper report from the Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 3rd February 1917 which shows Walter in the local magistrates court as a deserter

The following year Walter went absent during the Ludendorff Offensive of 1918 and was sentenced to death. Private Scullin of 49 Division Ammunition Column recorded the execution in his diary from the recollections of a colleague who witnessed it. The execution took place near Vlamertinghe in the Ypres Salient on 25th of June 1918. An ambulance drew up and Walter was led out under escort to a nearby rifle range. He was then bound to a chair, blindfolded and a piece of white paper placed over his heart. The firing squad consisted of machine gunners from the 21 Division who then executed their fellow soldier in arms.

Walter's grave in Hagle Dump Cemetery

Walter's grave bears the inscription “Until we meet again”. The grave is in the same cemetery as another Sheffield soldier who was executed by the British Army George Ainley 

Sources

Unquiet Graves Guide  Execution sites of the First World War in Flanders - Piet Chielens and Julian Putkowski 
Rusteloze graven gids – Executieplaatsen uit de Eerste Wereldoorlog in de Westhoek
The Guide is centred on the countryside around Ieper (Ypres) and Poperinge in the Westhoek of Flanders and visits the places of execution and graves of men 'shot at dawn' by the British Army in the Great War.

Shot at Dawn - Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes - The standard reference work about soldiers executed under the British Army Act in the First World War (1989).

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1901 UK Census

Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 3rd February 1917 

Notes

National Archives Reference - Pte Walter Dossett - 25th June 1918 - age 22 WO71/650

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This page was last updated on 13/05/15 17:43