In 1917 he was treated by Sir Harold Gillies - the first man to use skin grafts from undamaged areas on the body - and know as 'the father of plastic surgery'.
London-based Gillies opened a specialist ward for the treatment of the facially-wounded at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, Kent. Records show Yeo was admitted to Sir Harry Gillies' care on August 8, 1917 - just two months after he opened his specialist hospital.
Walter Yeo is thought to have been one of the first patients to benefit from his newly-developed technique - a form of skin grafting called 'tubed pedical'.
The young sailor, of Plymouth, Devon, was given new eyelids with a 'mask' of skin grafted across his face and eyes.
Documents show after the procedure Walter, a gunnery warrant officer, was 'improved, but still had severe disfigurement'.
The First World War was a war dominated by high explosives and heavy artillery and casualties treated by Sir Harold Gillies included an unprecedented number with horrific facial injuries. Often unable to see, hear, speak, eat or drink, they struggled to re-assimilate back into civilian life.
Gillies is credited with developing new, untried techniques to treat the injuries created by this new kind of war, taking grafts from undamaged areas of flesh.
He used tubular 'pedicles' from the forehead, scalp, chest, neck or shoulders but retained a connection to allow blood flow.
More work by Sir Harold Gillies:
The Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup Archives
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