Captain Walter Russell Russell

• Rank: Captain
• Date of Death: 23/10/1914
• Age: 33
• Regiment/Service: Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Bn. attd. 1st Bn.
• Panel Reference: Panel 43 and 45.
• Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
• Additional Information: Son of the late Capt. Sir William R. Russell, of Flaxmere, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, and of Lady Russell.

"At the time of his death, held the rank of Captain in the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. After leaving school in 1898 he joined the Hastings Rifles as 2nd Lieut., and was given a commission in the Northamptons on the outbreak of the Boer War. He went to India in 1900, and was transferred next year to the 2nd Battalion in Africa, being employed there till the conclusion of the war, when he got leave to return to New Zealand for six months. He rejoined in England, where he remained five years, acting as adjutant to his Battalion. Some time later he again visited New Zealand, and was gazetted Captain the same year. At the expiration of his leave, he left for Malta, and after two years was sent home to the depot in order to superintend the training of drafts as well as the drilling of recruits for the regiment. Leaving for France late in September, he was stationed on the Aisne before being moved up to Ypres, where he took over a section of the trenches, being killed on the night of October 23rd, 1914, whilst conducting an attack by the light of a burning haystack." (In Memoriam, 1914-1918 [Wanganui Collegiate School])

Links:

• Cenotaph Record
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
• New Zealand War Graves Project