Wally had been left an orphan after his father was killed in an accident falling from a tram in Boston USA and fracturing his skull whilst his mother died in Hull during the flu epidemic working as a nurse.  This left him as an orphan to be brought up by his grandmother in Slough who had Victorian values.  This meant that he couldn't wait to leave home and as soon as he could he signed up for service in the RAF.  On 19 January  1927 he entered the RAF as a boy entrant at Halton No.1 School of Technical Training (Boys) .	His apprentice training was completed after three years at RAF Halton and on 20 December 1929 he ventured forth on a posting in the wilds of Norfolk to Bircham Newton the "heavy bomber base".
RAF Bircham Newton 1	RAF Bircham Newton 2
B Flight 207 Squadron Bircham Newton	Halton : 19 January 1927 - 20 December 1929 Bircham Newton : 20 December  1929 - 14 February 1935 Kenley : 14 February 1935  - 23 July 1935 Enlisted 19 January 1927 AC1 3 January 1930 1GC 27 August 1932 LAC 1 August 1935 2GC 27 August 1937 PROG 1 August 1938 CPL 1 January 1939 SGT 1 Decmber 1940 3GC 27 August 1942 F/SGT 1 May 1943 PROG 1 May 1947 PROG 1 May 1951 A WO 26 March 1953 WO  1 August 1953 &1 26 march 1957 2&1 26 March 1961 Final 1 Febrauary 1962
After Bircham Newton, Wally was posted to Kenley on the 14 February 1935 for 5 months before heading to Devenport on 23 July 1935 and HMS Glorious.