Canadian Army Veterinary Corps

Walter Rupert SHAW

Acting Sergeant

Other ranks

Died 13 August 1918 · Age uncertain

Age discrepancy: The retained commemorative record gives 31; the Canadian attested birth date implies 32 at death. We have not been able to confirm the exact age.

Generic front-facing soldier silhouette

His story

Walter Rupert Shaw was born in London on 24 January 1886. A steamfitter, he was married to Beatrice and attested at Montreal on 20 July 1916. His initial paperwork concerns the 5th Overseas Pioneer Battalion and records a connection with the 4th Field Canadian Engineers.

He later served as acting sergeant with the 1st Canadian Veterinary Hospital. His casualty card records that he was killed during an enemy air raid on Rouen on the night of 13 August 1918, when a bomb exploded in the house where he was living. He was buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

Before the war

Nationality
Canadian service
Date of birth
24 January 1886 (attestation)
Place of birth
London, England
Occupation
Steamfitter
Family
Wife: Beatrice Shaw

Military service

Rank recorded
Acting Sergeant
Service number
1078391
Corps or service
Canadian Army Veterinary Corps
Unit
1st Canadian Veterinary Hospital
Enlistment or entry recorded
20 July 1916 at Montreal
Earlier service
Initial paperwork: 5th Overseas Pioneer Battalion; declared connection to 4th Field Canadian Engineers

Death and burial

Date of death
13 August 1918
Age
Uncertain
Place of death
Rouen, France
Recorded cause
Killed in an enemy air raid (original casualty card)
Cemetery or memorial
St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen
Grave reference
R. II. B. 2.

Where he worked

A recorded posting supplies context for his service. Exact duties and presence during a particular incident require their own evidence.

Follow the veterinary workplaces and treatment routes.

Connected men

Sources and further reading

Cite this biography

Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “Walter Rupert Shaw”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/walter_rupert_shaw/.

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