2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment.
Killed in action on Tuesday 20th October 1914 near La Bassee, age 24.
Remembered on Le Touret Memorial, France, Panels 34 and 35.
Former student of Science.
Born in 1890 at Bolton to Walter Balshaw, Solicitor, and E.A. Balshaw of 571 Chorley Old Road, Bolton.
Walter attended Bolton Municipal Secondary School where he was both cricket and football captain. In the years 1906-9 he acted as Chief Prefect. He entered the University of Manchester in 1910 to study science and continued to play cricket gaining the “Christie” bat for bowling and his colours in 1913.
As a member of the Officer Training Corps from October 1910 to July 1913 he obtained the proficiency certificates “A” and “B” and was awarded a commission in 1913 as a Second Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers, Manchester Regiment.
At the outbreak of war Walter was an Assistant Master at Lancaster Grammar School, but he was about to take up an appointment on the staff of Fareham School, Hampshire.
Missing after an engagement near La Bassee on 20th October 1914 Walter’s death was not reported by the Manchester Guardian until 21st December 1916 when he was officially presumed to have been killed or died. (Another University man, George Dixon, also went missing on the same day from the same battalion.) Walter has no known grave.