Walter Daniels was born in Tunstall, Staffordshire, on the 11th June 1895 to Matthias Daniels, born 1862 in Tunstall, and Martha nee Bourne, born 1865 also in Tunstall. He was baptised at Tunstall Christ Church on the 2nd July 1895. He had six siblings, all born in Tunstall. 

The first being sister Maria Daniels, born 16.12.1886, who married Samuel Johnson in July 1907; they had children: Samuel Wilfred 14.02.1910, Bernard 4.01.1914. Thomas Walter, 3.11.1915, and Albert. E. 31.01.1919. 

Sister Annie Elizabeth Daniels c 1890. Sister Gertrude Daniels c 1892. 

Sister Florence Daniels,  born 2.02.1897, who married William Henry Jones. Florence died on 03.05.1989.

Brother Charles Percy Daniels, born  28.02.1898, married Emma Hopkins on  28.07.1918. They had one child, Ethel May, born on 04.03.1919. Charles Percy Daniels also saw service with the colours, having enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment on the 20th May 1918 as Private 49049. He was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His address on being demobilised was 7 John Street, Tunstall. 

Brother Albert Edward Daniels, born 20.05.1902, married Hilda Jepson in 1928. They had a child, Beryl, born in 1937.

 
The 1901 census shows Walter as a 5-year-old  living at 54 Henry Street, Tunstall, with his father Matthias, a Sliphouse Potters Press Operator, mother Martha, siblings Maria, Annie, Gertrude, Florence and Charles. 

June 1902, Mathias Daniels died aged 40. 
June 1906, Martha Daniels died aged 42. 

The 1911 Census shows Walter as a 15-year-old Potters Dipper Assistant living at 40 Nash Peak Street with his oldest sister Maria and her husband, head of the household, Samuel Johnson, a Potters Dipper. His sister Maria Johnson was working as a Potter's Transferrer; they had their first child, Samuel Wilfred Johnson, aged 1. Also living with Maria and husband Samuel were Walter's other siblings: Annie Elizabeth Daniels, aged 20, single, a Potters Majolica Paintress; Gertrude Daniels, aged 19, single; Florence Daniels, aged 14, a Potters Warehouse Girl;  Charles Percy Daniels, aged 11, at school; and Albert Edward Daniels, aged 8, also at school. Also boarding with the family was Patty Capey, aged 20, single, a Potter's lithographer.

  
It is not known when Walter joined the Army, but we do know he was a pre-war territorial soldier having the service number 1122 and the rank of Gunner with the Royal Field Artillery. On the outbreak of war, he was renumbered 820243 and remained a Gunner with the Royal Field Artillery. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he was attached to the 46th Division Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery. This unit was a territorial force mobilised on the 5th August 1914. The role of the ammunition column was to transport artillery shells, small arms, and grenades from supply dumps to the front line units, often under dangerous conditions. They would also act as reserve soldiers filling gaps in the firing lines. They were sent to France in late February, the first full territorial division to enter the theatre of war, arriving at Ypres in Belgium. They took part in the German liquid fire attack at Hooge and also in the Hoenzolleren Redoubt in October. In December, they were redeployed for a short time in Egypt but soon returned to France. They were involved in the Battle of the Somme,1st July 1916, providing diversionary attacks at Gommecourt. In 1917, they took part in battles at Gommecourt, Rettemoy Grabben, Lieven, and Hill 70. Walter's date of death indicates he most likely died of his wounds in the battle at Lievin, near Lens, France. He entered France on the 26th February 1915, and whilst engaged in operations with the 46th Division Ammunition Column, he was killed. According to official records such as Soldiers Effects and Pension Ledgers, Medal Roll, and Medal Index Card, he died of wounds on the 28th July 1917. 

He is buried in the Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery in France, grave reference II F 34. 
He is remembered on the Burslem Royal Doulton Memorial and Tunstall War Memorial. 
He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.
Staffordshire Sentinel  7th July 1917 reports on his service and carries a photograph of him. 

Sources: 

Parents' marriage: FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

Birth: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England

Christening: Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

1891: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2160; Folio: 100; Page: 33; GSU roll: 6097270

1901: Class: RG13; Piece: 2592; Folio: 65; Page: 21

1911: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. 

Gunner W Daniels | War Casualty Details 465601 | CWGC 

The Long Long Trail website 

Fold3, UK, WWI, Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923: accessed 11 Jan 2026), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923

Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Staffordshire Sentinel 7.7.17.