Warrant Officer Walter Henry Haddleton was born in Birmingham in June 1845 and joined the Royal Marines as a Bugler in August 1861. Posted to the Portsmouth Division, he served in a number of ships over the next decade and gained steady advancement to Colour-Sergeant, in which rank he joined H.M.Y. Victoria and Albert in January 1873. Thus employed until transferring to Portsmouth H.Q. in November 1876, he was awarded his L.S. and G.C. Medal in the previous year. Haddleton was advanced to Sergeant-Major in September 1879, to Warrant Officer in July 1881, and pensioned in late 1894.