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

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.

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

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

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 143^rd (part of 48 Division), 118^th (part of 39 Division) and 63^rd (part of 21 Division) before being transferred to 1 / 4 Battalion Yorks and Lancs . 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 25^th 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

Notes

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This page was last updated on 29/04/11 14:39