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1916 wearing medal stripes of two Boer War and another
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4101 R.S.M. Walter Bullard Northants Regiment
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Walter Bullard was born in 1873 in Bentley, Suffolk. In 1891 he is working as a stable boy for Dr George Hetherington, in Ipswich SFK. He probably became a regular soldier in the 1890s and served in the Boer War.
As well as the general service medal, he is wearing the South Africa and Boer War medals.
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South Africa medal & bars for Witterbergen, Transval, Cape Colony
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A Boer War medal with two bars for 1901 & 1902
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He is a soldier when he gets married in 1905, in Stepney, when he gave an address in Hadley Hunts. He married Mary Ann Elliott (born 1877 Whitechapel LND).
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The Rushden Echo, 13th May 1910
The Territorials met at the old Drill Hall, under Lieut. Higgins and Instructor Bullard; and the Ambulance Brigade at the Alfred-street Schools, under Supt. T. Swindall, and marched to the church gate.
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In 1911 he is living at 26 Spencer Road, Rushden, with his wife Mary and 3 children. Daughter May was born in 1906 at Aldershot; after moving to Colchester a son Albert was born in 1908, and Ethel was born in 1909. Son Herbert was born in Rushden and was 3 months old. Herbert and Nellie (born 1912) were baptised at St Peter's Church in Midland Road. Walter is on Government work, as Colour Sergent Instructor for the Territorials at Rushden Drill Hall. The following year another daughter Nellie was born.
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Mary in 1916
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Probably at the outbreak of WWI, Walter left Rushden to work as Instructor at Territorial Headquarters in Northampton. The rest of the family stayed in Rushden for the rest of the war, and Walter is listed as an absent voter in 1918 and 1919.
By 1921 the family is living in Clare Street and Walter is continuing as an Instructor. Daughter May had left school and was working at the General Post Office there.
At the start of WWII Walter was drawing his army pension, now aged 73, and was keeping his own garden and an allotment, at Stanhope Road, Northampton, and he was an Air Raid Warden. Only Albert and Nellie were still living at home, Albert now working as a wooden last jointer. Nellie was working as a stock clerk for a tyre distributor and helping in the WVS and with St John’s Ambulance.
Mary died 9th April 1943 at Kettering. Walter was of Redenhall Grange, Harleston, Norfolk, and at West Norfolk Hospital, Norwich, when he died aged 83 on 14th July 1956. Probabte was granted in Birmingham to son, Herbert, now an accountant, on 5th October 1956, the sum of £502 5s.
The Rushden Echo, 3rd July 1914, transcribed by Gill Hollis
Military Parade at Higham Ferrers
Rushden, Irthlingborough, and District Territorials
“Wanted, Power”
The H Company of the 4th Battalion Northants Regiment paraded for church at St. Mary’s, Higham Ferrers, on Sunday, and the event attracted a large number of visitors to the town. The company assembled in Dr. Crew’s field, Wharf-lane, at 2.30 p.m., and at 2.40 the buglers sounded the “fall in.”
The officers in command comprised Lieut. F. A. Wright (Kettering), Col.-Sergt. Instructor Bullard, and Quartermaster Sergt. Perkins. Amongst other organisations participating in the parade were about 14 members of the Veteran National Reserves under Sergt. Major Brasher, formerly of New South Wales, and Sergt. Peer, the Higham Ferrers Fire Brigade and C.L.B. under Capt. F. Joseph Simpson, the Higham Ferrers Corps of the St. John Ambulance Association, under Supt. Secretary A. O. Groome and Supt. H. R. Patenall, and the 1st Rushden Troop of Boy Scouts, under Scoutmaster F. E. Preston and Assistant Scoutmaster W. Hall.
The order of the procession, which marched via Wharf-lane, Milton-street, and High-street to the church, was as follows:- P.C.’s Powell and Lymage; Drum Major H. E. Rixon, who has completed 46 years’ service; the band of E Company 4th Northants Regiment, under Bandmaster C. Clayson; the H Company 4th Battalion Northants Regiment; members of the Veteran National Reserve; the Higham Ferrers Fire Brigade; the Higham Ferrers Corps of the St. John Ambulance Association; the Higham Ferrers St. Mary’s C.L.B.; and the 1st Rushden Troop of Boy Scouts.
The company were met at the door of the church by the robed clergy and choir, who preceded them up the aisle singing “Onward, Christian soldiers.” The church was crowded, and the service was taken by the Vicar (Rev. H. K. Fry).
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The Rushden Echo, 11th December 1914, transcribed by Jim Hollis.
A Rushden Promotion - Col.-Sergt.-Instructor Bullard
Few if any soldiers have been more deserving of promotion than was Col.-Sergt.-Instructor, now Sergt.-Major Bullard, of Rushden. It is not easy to calculate the soundness of the manner in which he has fulfilled his duties.
About six years ago he came to this district and found the need for much tact and business ability in getting two of the companies together in friendship. These were bitterly opposed to each other, but through the genial good nature of the sergeant, the two companies were eventually cemented in the best of friendship. This was no ordinary task, and had filled previous officers with despair.
Sergt.-Major Bullard was also very successful in keeping alive the enthusiasm of the “Terriers,” and never failed to gain each man’s respect. In fact, he was looked up to as a gentleman worthy of high esteem. No matter who the Territorial is who has been under Sergt.-Major Bullard, he has nothing but praise for the officer.
But quite apart from commendable characteristics the Sergeant is one of the best shots in the county and in signal instructing he is a past master. A good all round soldier, he fought right through the South African War, where he gained valuable medals. He served in the Methuen trekking, gained distinction on the Indian frontier War, and has since done invaluable service at home.
The Reserve Battalion, to which he is now attached, gains what Rushden loses.
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| Rushden Echo, 10th Dec 1915 |
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Back row l-r: Sergt. F Lilley (Finedon), Coy. QMS Barker (Rushden), Sergt. T J Pepper, Sergt. R F Freeman (R), Sergt. G Robinson (R), Coy. QMS W D Marsden (R).
2nd row: Corpl. H E Chettle (Rushden), Sergt. F Reynolds (Irthlingboro)
Front rwow: Col. Sergt. F L Robinson (I’boro), Sergt. Major W Bullard (Rushden),
Col. Sergt. Owen Thompson.
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