Private Walter Maslen/Maslin

Born: 1^st Quarter of 1888

Date of Death: 6th December 1918

Age: 30

There is a discrepancy regarding Walter Maslen (with an 'e'), whose name appears on our war memorial. The memorial states he served in the 4th Wiltshire Regiment. However, records from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list a Walter Maslin (with an 'i') from the 2nd/6th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. This Walter Maslin died on 6 December 1918, aged 28, and was the son of Mr. W. Maslin of Upavon, Marlborough, Wiltshire. The question remains: are Walter Maslen and Walter Maslin the same person?

Walter Maslen’s Background

We believe Walter Maslen (with an 'e') was born around 1888 in Compton, near Enford. By the 1891 Census, the family was living in Upavon with his father, William, and mother, Sarah. William was described as a groom and gardener. Walter was the youngest of five children:

• Brothers: Frederick (b. 1875), Jesse (b. 1879), Albert (b. 1881), and Walter himself.
• Sister: Alice (b. 1884).

Frederick and Jesse were farm labourers in 1901. At that time, Walter was 13, Frederick had become a shepherd, Jesse was a groom, Albert a carter, and William an agricultural labourer. The household also included two boarders, apprentices from the racing stables.

By 1911, the family remained in Upavon. Walter, now 23, was a labourer, and his elder brothers were carters. The 1911 Census reveals that William and Sarah had 12 children, though one had died.

Military Service

The memorial states that Walter served in the 4th Wiltshire Regiment, part of the Territorial Army. This regiment quickly mobilized and formed two battalions:

• 1st/4th Battalion: Deployed to India in October 1914 for garrison duties.
• 2nd/4th Battalion: Followed shortly after, also stationed in India.

Throughout 1915, both battalions served in India, providing reinforcements to front-line units in other theatres.

Possible Links to the Devonshire Regiment

The Commonwealth War Graves record lists Walter as serving in the 2nd/6th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. This battalion formed in Barnstaple on 16 September 1914 and became part of the 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division.

• December 1914: Sailed for India and came under the 6th (Poona) Divisional Area at Bombay.
• March 1916: Transferred to the 7th (Meerut) Divisional Area.
• August 1916: Moved to Peshawar Brigade in the 1st (Peshawar) Division.
• September 1917: Deployed to Mesopotamia, landing at Basra, where they remained as Lines of Communication troops until the war ended.

If  Walter was initially part of the 4th Wiltshire Regiment, it is possible he was sent as a reinforcement to the Devonshires. Another theory is that he transferred between regiments while both were stationed in India. This speculation could explain the difference in regiment names.

Discrepancies in the Records

If the Walter Maslin in the records is our Walter, there are minor inconsistencies:

• His surname is spelled differently ('Maslin' rather than 'Maslen').
• His recorded age is two years younger than expected.

These points require further investigation, but it is plausible that Walter Maslen and Walter Maslin are the same individual.

Private Walter Maslin, 65057, 2nd/6th Bn., Devonshire Regiment died on 06 December 1918 Age 28, Son of Mr. W. Maslin, of Upavon, Marlborough, Wilts and is buried in Basra War Cemetry.