Walter Staines worked for the sugar mill in Condong in Far North New South Wales. Soccer had a way of flowering briefly where large industrial employers employed British-born immigrants. This explains why the village of Condong formed a soccer team in 1914 to play against teams from Lismore and Murwillumbah.
It is suspected Staines was a player for Condong, but the only team he was listed as playing for was Murwillumbah United. His was listed as playing for United in the Tweed Daily on 1 July 1914, in a game against Condong. But it appears Staines may have been on loan to United for the day.
A few weeks later, United player John Boobbyer wrote to the Daily complaining that Murwillumbah had been forced to borrow players from the opposition several times. Boobbyer noted the smaller centres like Condong always had a surplus of players, whereas as United was always short a few. It is likely Staines was borrowed by Murwillumbah from Condong so the game could go ahead. He did not appear in any other United line-up published in the Daily.
Regardless, Staines was later noted as a local soccer player. He and United player Leonard Moss were feted in the Daily Telegraph of 28 September 1916:
MURWILLLUMBAH. Tuesday.— Privates L. Moss and W. Staines, who have been awarded medals for conspicuous bravery in France, are Murwillumbah soldiers. Private Moss was working at printing offices here for about five years, and Private Staines was employed at the Condong mill. Both were enthusiastic soccer footballers, and were natives of England.
Staines was a Londoner and carpenter. He enlisted at Enoggera in Brisbane in April 1915 and was allocated to the 26th Battalion as a Stretcher Bearer. He arrived in France in early 1916. His military medal was awarded in September, and later mentioned in The Commonwealth Gazette No. 184 of 14 December 1916:
During the attack on POZIERES RIDGE on the 4th to the 6th August, 1916, this Stretcher Bearer worked continuously for forty eight hours gathering in wounded from most exposed positions which were under shell-fire continuously. He showed the greatest coolness and courage under the most trying circumstances.
Staines continued in France until armistice. In January 1919 he was marched out to return to Australia but only made it as far as England. Instead, he was granted leave after gaining a letter of employment as a motor driver. He returned to Australia in October but was not discharged from the military until a year later.
His movements after the war are unknown, and obscured by a better-known veteran named Walter Staines, a bank manager from Mackay. It seems both lived in Brisbane at times after the war.
Condong played a handful of games after 1914 but then went dormant. An attempt to reform the club in the early 1920s failed.
Staines passed away in August 1933 and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.