In Memory of Walter Price Roberts
The inscription on Walter Price Roberts’ gravestone in Italy underlines how parents who had lost a son overseas in wartime had their grief compounded because the son’s grave was too remote for them to reach. The inscription reads: “May some loving hand gently place some flowers for me, his mother.”
Walter’s mother was Ellen Roberts of Rhyl. His father was Edward Roberts, and the family was living at 37 Sisson Street in 1911. Walter had six siblings and was an apprentice bootmaker before he joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers a few days after the First World War began.
He was promoted to Corporal and had become a Lance Sergeant by the time he served at the Italian front during the last year of the war. Italy had sided with Britain and its allies in 1915, declaring war on Austria. From December 1917 British and French forces helped to defend the river Piave, a line which kept the enemy from invading Venice.
Having served and survived for almost the duration of the war, Walter was killed by influenza on 23 October 1918, aged 23. He is buried at Giavera British Cemetery, along with 416 other British servicemen who died while helping to defend the Piave.
With thanks to Clive Jones (nephew), Ruth Pritchard, and Diane Gassman, who lives near Giavera and puts flowers on Walter’s grave
Return to Rhyl war memorial page
