Biography of Private Walter Blankley Harby (Walter Scarborough) (27025)
2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 2nd December 1917

Soldier

  • Name: Walter Blankley Harby
  • Date of birth: 1897
  • Place of Birth: Wandsworth, London, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: July – September 1897
  • Place of Birth Registration: Wandsworth District

Father

  • Name: Thomas Scarborough (Stepfather)
    Possible real father David Blankley
  • DOB: 27th February 1874
  • Place of Birth: Braunewell, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Shepherd on farm

Mother

  • Name: Charlotte Elizabeth Harby
  • DOB: 4th October 1866
  • Place Of Birth: Pickworth, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 30th August 1899 Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Ethel Scarborough, 1894, Farsley (Step Sister)
  • Walter Blankley Harby, 1897, Wandsworth
  • Harold Scarborough, 1901, Dowsby (Half Brother)
  • Joseph Edward Scarborough, 1903, Aslackby (Half Brother)

Census

  • 1901: Walter is living with his stepfather and mother in Dowsby, Lincolnshire
  • 1911: Walter is living with his stepfather and mother in Rippingale, Lincolnshire.  The census gives him an age of 13 and he is listed as a labourer on farm.

Relatives in services

  • None found
Marriage

  • No marriage for Walter has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Grantham Journal Sunday 15th December 1917
    RIPPINGALE
    WAR NOTES – Mr and Mrs T. Scarborough have received news that their eldest son, Walter is “missing.” Much sympathy is felt for them in the village.

 

  • Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 19th January 1918
    WOUNDED, NOW REPORTED DIED OF WOUNDS
    LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
    Harby 27025 Pte. W. B. (Rippingale)

 

  • War Office Weekly Casualty List January 22nd 1918
    MISSING
    LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
    Harby 27025 W. B. (Rippingale)

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 26th January 1918.
    Pte. WALTER H. SCARBOROUGH, of Rippingale.
    Mr. and Mrs. Scarborough, of Rippingale, have received the sad news that their eldest son, Pte. Walter Harby Scarborough, of the Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Western front, on December 2nd. He was in his 21st year. The greatest sympathy is felt for the parents and family.

     

    • Grantham Journal Saturday 2nd February 1918
      Private W. H. SCARBOROUGH, of Rippingale.
      Pte. Walter H. Scarborough, of the Lincs. Regiment, was killed in action on Dec. 2nd.  Deceased was in his 21st year, and the sympathy of many friends goes out to the parents in their bereavement.

     

    • War Office Weekly Casualty List February 5th 1918
      Previously reported missing, now reported
      KILLED
      LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
      Harby 27025 W. B. (Bourne)

       

      • Lincolnshire Echo Friday 12th September 1919
        At Rippingale it is proposed to make a house to house collection for the War Memorial Cross, to be erected at the estimated cost of £250, to the honoured memory of those who served in the great war, especially the fallen, those whp made the supteme sacrifice from here being: Arthur Hill, George Hill, Frank Kime, George Daff Pollard, John William Sandall, Walter Sandall, Charles Sharpe, Walter Scarborough, and Arthur Thompson.

      Military Records

      Attestation Papers

      • Available

      Soldier’s Died In The Great War

      • These records show that Private Walter Blankley Harby, 27025, 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on 2nd December 1917 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

      Pension Records

      • Available

      Effects Left To

      • Mother Charlotte E

      Medals

      • The British Medal
      • The Victory Medal

      Memorials

      • UK:
      • Rippingale, outside memorial at St Andrew’s Church

       

      • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
      • In Memory of Private Walter Blankley Harby, 27025, 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 2 December 1917 Age 21.
      • Son of Mrs C. E. Scarborough (formerly Harby) of Rippingale, Bourne, Lincs
      • Remembered with Honour Tyne Cot Memorial
      • Panel Ref: 35 to 37 and 162 to 162a

      © BNA

      © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

      © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

      Military Service Timeline

      • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

      Sources

      • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
      • British Newspaper Archive.
      • Fold 3
      • Find My Past
      • Genealogist
      • Forces War Records
      • British Army Service Numbers
      • War Gratuity Calculator
      • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
      • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
      • General Registry Office