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8533 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Walter Kemp was the only son of Walter and Hannah Kemp, born in Sudbury in May 1892. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a painter’s labourer and lived with his widowed mother and three sisters Florence, Ethel and Eva at 24 Station Road.
In 1909 Walter enlisted in Sudbury to serve with the Territorials, in 1912 he enlisted as a regular soldier and served with the Suffolk Regiment. His service record describes him as 5ft 5¾ ins in height with ginger hair and grey eyes.
During his service he served with the 2nd Battalion before joining the 1st Battalion in January 1914. His records show that he arrived in Khartoum in February 1914, at that time he was described as ‘dull-witted and rather deficient in intellect’, but had no marked peculiarities sufficient to warrant his discharge as an invalid. However his condition became progressively worse after two months in a very hot climate and he had to be excused all parades. His records state ‘His general condition is healthy and he eats well and sleeps well. He stands for hours in a position of attention except that his head is bent forwards and he gazes scantily at a wall or at his feet. At other times he sits gazing at his feet and hands, sometimes laughing or muttering to himself. He is vague about dates, days of the week, periods of time etc’. A medical board in Khartoum discharged Walter as ‘permanently unfit’. He was sent back to England and discharged on 17 November 1914. His address at that time was given as Bures Road, Great Cornard.
It is not known when Walter died at the present time.
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