Walter James Ramsey was the son of Thomas and Hannah Ramsey, and lived in Jarrow. His father was the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Walter joined the High School in 1901, at the age of 15, and left in 1903 with a place at Cambridge University, where he studied law.

After university, he went to London to train as a barrister and while there joined the Northumberland Divisional Transport and Supply Column from the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps, rising from Private to 2nd Lieutenant in June, 1911.

Not much is known about his war service, although he rose to Captain and then, in 1920, to Major.

He survived the war, and is believed to have died in Thurrock in 1939.