SLEIGHT, WALTER EDWIN

Born 09/10/1893 in Cleethorpes

Died 22/12/1942, age 49, Westminster Hospital

Buried 24/12/1942

D/10524, Sergeant, Leicestershire Regiment, 6th Battalion

Son of Henry and Lucy Ann Chapman, married 1880. Walter was one of seven children

Husband of Evelyn Mary Croft, married 1918 at Clee, Grimsby

Father of: Henry (b 1918), Ronald (b 1919), Walter (b 1921), Pamela (b 1923), Frank (b 1925), Gerald (b 1928) and Marie (b 1932)

1901 - living at 42 St Peters Avenue, Cleethorpes, father a buyer in wholesale fish trade

1911 – with widowed mother at same address

1914-1917 – Served in the Lincolnshire Regiment, enlisted 17/09/1914 and was discharged wounded on 30/10/1917. He received the Victory and British medals

1939 – Engineering Company Secretary, living at 92 Bradford Avenue, Cleethorpes. He is recorded as being in the 4th Lincolnshire Regiment at the time

Address: 92 Bradford Avenue, Cleethorpes

Grave ref: Section AA, Grave G36

In early 1939, Walter Sleight wrote a number of letters to the Grimsby Telegraph, which give a real insight into the character and beliefs of the man

To Strike Without Warning

Sir – I have been asked recently if I do not think we are better armed today than we were in 1914, and the answer is, decidedly, yes.

When we hark back to the figures of guns and mechanical munitions which we had in 1914, it is very obvious that we are far ahead these days. It is hard to imagine, but nevertheless true, that the B.E.F. set forth on its trials with only sixteen heavy guns and twenty-four 6 pounders.

It is true that we had eighty-one 6in 30cwt howitzers available in England, but owing to the shortage of trained men only six batteries could be equipped, and those by August 27. About the middle of October two siege batteries, each of two 6in B.L.C. Mark 1, coast defence weapons, converted to mobility by the addition of a heavy carriage on traction-engine wheels, were assembled, and with one of those batteries went the only 9.2 howitzer we had.

This travelled in three parts, the barrel, the carriage and cradle, and the bed, each weighing 4.5 tons and mounted on four-wheeled trucks. It was so important that when it went into action on October 31, at La Couture, it was provided with an infantry guard and an anti-aircraft section to protect it. All the important people, including the Prince of Wales, paid it a visit (450 improved models were used later on of this caliber).

BETTER EQUIPPED

By the end of October, three months after the outbreak of war, we had only eighty-five heavy guns and howitzers in France. By the end of the war it was 2215.

In May 1915, a new howitzer, the popular 6in, was designed. Weighing 26cwts, it had a range of 10,000 yards, and a hydraulic recuperative system which rendered it independent of a special platform. Of these 1246 were issued to our troops and 212 to our allies. This gun made up for lost time by firing 22.5 million rounds after its issue, equal to ten per minute from August 4, 1914, to November 11, 1918. I am side-tracking you from the main issue to show our powers of recuperation.

When one considers tanks, aeroplanes, motor tractors, and lorries, then few in number or non-existent, it is obvious that we are much better equipped. On the other hand, it is also a matter of relativity – comparison with other countries, which must be left to experts.

I do fear a repetition of one thing – the very, very serious lack of trained men to handle the more and more intricate munitions which this so-called progress brings forth. Quoting Ecclesiastes, “God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”

CLASSES FOR VOLUNTEERS

A great many inventions; and those who have grown up with them probably do not realise how complicated they are to the layman. I feel confident that many men who do not desire to join the forces would volunteer to attend classes to train them in the use of these intricate machines of defensive warfare, if these could be arranged.

People must realise that something has to be done about it. Apathy will lead to conscription in all probability. Above all, apathy will lead to inefficiency in the face of the almost implacable foe, and inefficiency may lead to defeat.

The next war will, in its early stages, be of very great rapidity, and one gentleman on the Continent realizes this, and in addressing the “National League of Maidens” in 1937 said, “When I strike, I shall strike like lightning out of the night; there will be no warning.” He has so far had a way of keeping this class of promise, and also of pretty well getting what he wants unfortunately. Our great recuperative powers might be exhibited again, but might be too late.

WALTER E SLEIGHT

Bradford-avenue, Cleethorpes

January 3, 1939

Touching Scene

Sir – I will concede certain pointers to “Pax” regarding certain follies of the Versailles Treaty, but he loses sight of the fact that Germany, and the Prussian section in particular, had shown themselves so virulently aggressive for centuries, that it was necessary to have this “dagger thrust” at her heart at the time (and events show it still is) to keep her quiet for the peace of Europe.

It was because the other countries, the allies of Britain, did not desire to lose any more of their sons that a halt was called in 1918, and Germany did not suffer a taste of the ruin and desolation she had wantonly caused over the rest of Europe.

Last Thursday I was at Croydon Air Station. Had “Pax” been with me and seen the miserable and subdued Czechs checked in their desire to enter the sanctuary of these islands, and heard their tearful lamentations, there would be no Pax in his heart, and no ink in his pen to write on behalf of German views.

WALTER E. SLEIGHT

Bradford-avenue, Cleethorpes

March 30, 1939

Welcome Settlers

Sir – I should agree with “Pax” that these refugees were a nuisance, and a menace to our own unemployed, if it were true that they came into the British Isles and took work from our own people.

This is not so, they are not allowed to take work in this manner. Their own nationals are at this time putting up factories to employ not only the refugees but a proportion of our own people as well, in England.

Surely “Pax” does not need me to point out that the persecution of the Hugenots and consequent influx of refugees from France and Flanders gave us large industries and helped to build up industrial England, especially in weaving. Providing these refugees bring capital and industry to England we have surely nothing to grumble at, providing they obey our laws.

WORLD POWER OF NOTHING

England always has been, and I hope, will always be, the home of the industrious and religious oppressed. Great Britain has thrived and will thrive on the class of refugee that is permitted to land by those in charge of our affairs.

The remarks in my previous letter were to express disgust with that section of the world which has already subjected to intolerable hardships over three-quarters of a million of such people, and has shown tendencies to do the same to around 400,000 more in the Polish area and 900,000 in the Romanian area, of the Jewish faith.

Page 742, Unexpurg. Ed “Mein Kampf” says, “Deutschland wird entweder Weltmacht oder uberhaupt nicht sein.” (Germany wants either world power or absolutely nothing.”) That book is the German Bible to-day.

WALTER E. SLEIGHT

Bradford-avenue, Cleethorpes

April 4, 1939