Friends of Gainsbrough Cemeteries and Chapel

General and North Warren Cemeteries

  • Burial Records
  • Tracing relatives of WWI Servicemen
  • Restoring WWI Headstones Project
  • Events at the Chapel
  • Privacy Policy

Private Walter Baines – Lincolnshire Regiment

Private Baines was born in Gainsborough in 1886 and was a barber.

He married Gertrude Easter in 1908 and they had two sons. Gertrude died in 1914. In April 1915, Walter joined the Lincolnshire Regiment, only to be discharged three months later on medical grounds.

In October 1915, Walter re-enlisted and during his service suffered badly from frost bite and trench feet. Trench foot is caused by the feet being in constant damp and cold conditions and causes the feet to go numb and then swell.

Walter’s Trench Foot became so bad, he was brought back to England in November 1917 and had seven of his toes, including both big toes, amputated. The photograph below shows him in hospital at Cardiff.

Walter was discharged from the Army in July 1918. During his service, his two sons had been looked after by the Gainsborough Poor Law Guardians. His sons visited, and stayed with him, while he was at Cardiff. They were then taken in by Dr. Barando’s. They eventually went to work on farms in Canada.

Walter was discharged from the Army in July 1918, and was described as a ‘broken man’ who could hardly speak.

Walter was found drowned in the River Trent at East Stockwith in June 1920. He suffered from ‘depressed spirits’.

In an issue of ‘Gainsborough Life’ magazine, Peter Bradshaw wrote about a forthcoming exhibition for Remembrance Weekend. Peter asked for information about Private Baines and he was contacted by Walter’s grandson, John Baines, who lives in Canada.

Private Walter Baines
This photograph, kindly loaned to us by John Baines, shows John on the left (his Uncle) and Richard on the right (his father).

How to get in touch

If you would like to get in touch with the Friends group, please email:

susan@friendsofthegeneralcemetery.com

About the Friends

The Friends of Gainsborough Cemeteries and Chapel was set-up to help restore the family headstones of servicemen and women who died during WWI and WWII.

Both cemeteries have graves recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

We also work to preserve both the General Cemetery, its Chapel, and the North Warren (Non-Conformist) Cemetery. With the kind permission of Gainsborough Town Council.

The General Cemetery is situated on Cox’s Hill in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. And the North Warren Cemetery is on Ropery Road in Gainsborough.

 

Copyright 2021 Friends of Gainsborough Cemeteries and Chapel unless otherwise stated.

All photographs copyright of the photographer.

All rights reserved.

Email: susan@friendsofthegeneralcemetery.com

Copyright © 2021 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in