Walter Henry Kelley

Private 7337 Walter Henry Kelley Royal Marines Light Infantry of H.M.S
Born 09 December 1875 at Kensington, London to Catherine Kelley of 56 Clayton Street, London.
He shot himself aged 22 years with a pistol in a sailors rest in Floriana, Malta on the 01 January 1898.
Searches on ancestry have not found him with the above name and with a mother called Catherine. Kelly does not shows anything.
His occupation prior to enlistment was a tailor’s assistant.


Note from his service record.
On enlistment he gave hiss occupation as a tailors assistant anfd his mother as Catherine of 56 Clayton Street, London.
Enlisted 09 May 1893 in London and he was posted the same day to R.M.Depot, Walmer Road, Deal, Kent.
His first ship was HMS Centurion which he joined 22 November 1894 to 17 August 1895
Rainbow from 18 August 1895 to 10 September 1895. He returned to HMS Centurion from 11 September 1895 to 13 November 1895
Rainbow from 14 November 1895 to 02 September 1896.
After he left HMS Rainbow he went to Chatham Depot.
Empress of India he joined 08 January 1897 and shot himself aged 22 years with a pistol in a sailors rest in Floriana, Malta.
He was laid to rest in Bighi Royal Naval Cemetery, Malta. Now at rest in a Mass Grave in Capuccini Naval Cemetery, Malta.

On Saturday morning late at the Soldiers and Sailors Home, Floriana where Private Walter Henry Kelly aged 22 of H.M.S Empress of India was found dead in his bed which he had engaged on the previous evening. It appears the deceased had contracted fever during the operations at Benin, which had evidently weakened his mind, a suicidal tendency, having previously been evinced in his attempt to drown himself at Marsamuscetto. From the evidence of Mr Littleton, manager of the home at the enquiry held at the Central Civil Hospital (Floriana) yesterday morning before Magistrate Dr Parnis, it was elicited the he, the Manager, called Kelly at 8.a.m., but left him upon being assured that he had leave till noon. At 10 o’clock the man was discovered by a servant to have blown his brains out with a small pistol which lay clasped upon his breat, the ball having entered his left temple. Upon examining his clothes, he was found to have a box of cartridges and a note writted in pencil, inscribed thus, “Now for a long sleep, Walter Kelly H.M.Ship Empress of India,” The deceased, who bore and exemplary character for sobriety and good behavious, has a brother, a qualified signalman on board the Hibernia, with whom wa condole.

The verdict of the Magistrate was in accordance with the fasts, temporary insanity. The remains of the unfortunate man were buried yesterday afternoon of the Royal Naval Cemetery, Bighi, with full naval honours.