Walter Batty

{{Short description|New Zealand rugby union player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Walter Batty

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DCM|size=100%}}

| image = Walter Batty DCM.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Batty during World War II

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1905|01|01|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Tonga

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|05|10|1905|01|01|df=yes}}

| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| occupation = Insurance agent

| spouse =

| relatives =

| education = Auckland Grammar School

| module = {{Infobox rugby biography

| embed = yes

| ru_position = Number 8

| height = 1.80 m

| weight = 84 kg

| ru_nationalteam = {{nrut|New Zealand}}

| ru_nationalyears = 1928–1931

| ru_nationalcaps = 4

| ru_nationalpoints = (3)

| ru_province = {{Rut|Auckland}}

| ru_provinceyears = 1924–1932

| ru_provincecaps = 69

| ru_provincepoints =

}}

}}

Walter Batty {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DCM|size=85%}} (1 January 1905 – 10 May 1979) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A loose forward, Batty represented {{Rut|Auckland}} at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1928 to 1931. He played six matches for the All Blacks including four internationals.{{cite web |url=http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=44 |title=Walter Batty |last=Knight |first=Lindsay |publisher=New Zealand Rugby Union |access-date=23 November 2021}}

Batty was born in Tonga in 1905, to an English father and a Tongan mother.{{cite news |url=https://www.kanivatonga.nz/2015/04/did-you-know-the-first-tongan-all-blacks-was-in-1928/ |title=Did you know? Tonga's first All Black |first=Kalino |last=Latu |date=6 April 2015 |work=Kaniva Tonga |access-date=23 November 2021}} He was educated at Auckland Grammar School, and was an insurance agent when he enlisted for service during World War II. He saw active service in North Africa and Italy with the 6th New Zealand Field Regiment, and won the Distinguished Conduct Medal during Operation Crusader for actions on 1 December 1941 at Belhamed in Libya.{{cite web |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C33191 |title=Walter Batty |website=Online Cenotaph |publisher=Auckland War Memorial Museum |access-date=23 November 2021}}