Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - An haifi Wingfield a ranar 16 ga Oktoba 1833 a Ruabon, Denbighshire, Wales, ɗan Clopton Lewis Wingfield, Manjo a cikin Rundunar Soja ta 66, da Jane Eliza, 'yar Sir John Mitchell KCB. Mahaifiyarsa ta mutu a 1836 bayan haihuwar ɗanta na biyu kuma mahaifinsa ya mutu a 1846 na toshewar hanji. Walter ya taso ne a hannun kawunsa da kawunsa. Ya yi karatu a Rossall School, kuma a cikin 1851 ya shiga Kwalejin Soja ta Royal, Sandhurst, a yunƙuri na biyu ta hanyar tasirin babban kawunsa wanda ya kasance colonel. An ba shi izini a matsayin Cornet a cikin 1st Dragoon Guards kuma ya yi aiki a Indiya. A shekara ta 1858 Wingfield ya zama kyaftin kuma a 1860 ya shiga cikin yakin da aka yi a kasar Sin.
kuma ya kasance a lokacin kama Peking. Ya koma Ingila a 1861 kuma ya yi ritaya daga Dragoon Guards shekara guda bayan haka.