Walter Batty (1 January 1905 – 10 May 1979) was a New Zealand

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player. A loose forward, Batty represented at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

, from 1928 to 1931. He played six matches for the All Blacks including four internationals. Batty was born in Tonga in 1905, to an English father and a Tongan mother. He was educated at

Auckland Grammar School Auckland Grammar School (often simplified to Auckland Grammar, or Grammar), established in 1869, is a State school, state, Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding secondary school for Single-sex education, boys in Auckland, New Zealand. ...

, and was an insurance agent when he enlisted for service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He saw active service in North Africa and Italy with the 6th New Zealand Field Regiment, and won the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...

during

Operation Crusader Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert campaign during World War II by the British Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) against the Axis forces (German and ...

for actions on 1 December 1941 at Belhamed in Libya.

References

1905 births 1979 deaths Tongan emigrants to New Zealand New Zealand people of English descent People educated at Auckland Grammar School New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players Auckland rugby union players New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal Rugby union number eights {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-stub