Joseph Walter Wheeler was born in Harefield, Middlesex in 1896.

He was 1 of 5 children born to Herbert & Louisa.

His father was a carter for an asbestos works & died in July 1904 in Harefield, Middlesex, leaving a young family.

In 1911 widowed Louisa 40, a domestic servant, was living with her children at 94 Langley Road, Luton.  Joseph is 15 years old & working as a draper, 19 year old Herbert is an ironmonger & Rose 17, is a general servant for a coal merchant. Violet 12 & 9 year old Cissey are at school.

Joseph enlisted into the East Anglian Field Company of the Royal Engineers on 5th October 1915 in Luton whilst living at No 6 Langley Street.

On 4th October 1917 Joseph was on parade on horseback at the camp in Nottingham when he was pulled from his horse by the one he was leading. Joseph was kicked in the head & sadly died two days later of his injuries at the 3rd Northern General Hospital Sheffield.

The Coronors Court in Sheffield recorded a verdict of accidental death, which was reported in the local newspaper.

Joseph is buried in the cemetery on Crawley Green Road.