Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Canning a shoe trade riveter, born 1856 in Birmingham, Warwks., and his wife Mary Hall Canning a laundress, born 1850 in Leicester. Walter Hall Canning was born in 1882 in Leicester, his siblings were, Emma, born 1877 and Mary, born 1881, the latter two siblings were both born in Leicester, Richard Alfred, born 1886 in Aylestone, Leics., in April 1891 the family home was at Chapel Street, Blaby, Leics. In March 1901 Walter was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing in the family home at Chapel Street, Blaby, Leics., together with his father and mother, now a stocking machinist, and his siblings, Mary and Richard. In April 1911 Walter was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing in the family home at 18, Chapel Street, Blaby, Leics., together with his parents and brother Richard. Notes taken from his enlistment documents show that prior to enlistment Walter had been a Shoemaker, he also confirmed that he had served in the Royal Scots for eight years. His medical examination showed that he was 5 foot 8 inches in height, had a chest measurement of 34 to 37 ½ inches, his complexion was given as florid, his eyes were hazel and his hair clour was dark brown. He gave his religion as Church of England.