The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Second Lieutenant E B Walker

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1. COR. 1. 7.

"WAITING FOR THE COMING

OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST"

Photograph by "Johan Moors"

Second Lieutenant Edmund Basil WALKER, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, (while in charge of the machine gun section of his Battalion), at Hill 60, near Ypres, Flanders, France, 18th April 1915, age 26.

8th August 1888, born  Birmingham, second Son of the Reverend George Sherbrooke Walker, M.A., by his wife Jessie Elizabeth, (daughter of Edward Carter of Hazelwood, Edgbaston), of March Rectory, Cambridgeshire.

Educated The Towers, Portinscale, Keswick; Sherborne School & Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was in the O.T.C at both Sherborne & Cambridge.

1911 Census - Nursing Home, Richmond Road, Aslebourne Lodge, Sherborne, Dorset - Annie Louisa Clarke, head, age 50, single, Hospital Trained Nurse, Private Nursing Home, at home, born Derby; Margaret Jessie Clarke, sister, age 47, single, at home, born Derby;

Elizabeth Jane Pearson, sister, age 48, married 10 years, 3 children, all still alive, at home, born Derby; George Allen Leslie Pearson, son, age 9, born Staverton, Gloucester; James Hugh Fisher Pearson, son, age 8, born Staverton, Gloucester; John Richard Frederick Pearson, son, age 7, born Staverton, Gloucester;

Reverend? Canon William Hictor Lyon, patient age 83, widower, 7 children, 4 still alive, Priest, Church of England, born Sherborne, Dorset, Paralysis;

Edmund  Basil Walker, boarder, age 22, single, schoolmaster, Private School, worker, born Birmingham, Warwickshire; William Wallace Clark, boarder, age 13, school, born Westminster, London;

Mary Draper, nurse, age 53, single, nurse attendant, worker, born Gosport, Hampshire; Florence Coke, servant, age 19, housemaid, worker, born Gillingham, Kent; Kate Blackmore, servant, age 17, single, kitchen maid, worker, born Wincanton, Somerset.

Soon after leaving College, went as a Master to Sherborne Preparatory School; after his two years of teaching, spent a year in promoting Boy Scout work and was organising secretary to the Great Rally at Birmingham in 1913;  23rd March 1912, Gazetted to the Dorsetshire Regiment, (Special Reserve), and after war broke out he joined his Regiment at the Front, afterwards transferring to 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, and was given a commission in that Regiment, 2nd January 1915; took part in the heavy fighting for Hill 60, near Ypres.

He had been called upon to undertake the senior Captain's duty, and he volunteered for the post of danger with the machine guns on Hill 60, near Ypres. He was on the Hill all though the awful night of Saturday 17th April, when so many fell, with two officers under him, and in the early morning just as day was breaking, their company relieved. They had left the ridge of the hill, when with his usual devotion to duty he suddenly said to his fellow officer; "You go on, I'll follow in a minute." and turned back again, explaining that he wanted to make sure all was right for the relief company just coming to take their place. So he went back, in doing this, lost his own life, for he was shot dead. He was buried in the little cemetery near Ypres. Major Dunlop Officer in Command of the Battalion wrote:" I found your son of great assistance to me, as he was not only devoid of fear, but was an exceptionally keen officer, and I am sure, would have made a great name for himself had he survived. Anyone who knew him could not help admiring him." An officer working with Lieutenant Walker, when he was killed wrote: " on all sides I heard mention of his bravery. He stood on the top of the hill, directing operations, and was actually handling the machine gun at the time he was shot in the throat and died instantly. He had volunteered for the post of danger."

13th November 1915, Probate - Edmund Basil Walker, of 7 Henniker Mews, Callow Street, Fulham, Middlesex, Second Lieutenant, Royal West Kent Regiment, H.M. Army, died 18th April 1915, at Hill 60, Belgium. Administration London 13th November, to Reverend George Sherbrooke Walker, Clerk. Effects £112 9s 3d.

Buried at Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, VI. H. 14., Belgium.

AWARDS: Mentioned in Despatches,  London Gazette 22nd June 1915.

London Gazette 20th January 1915.

The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), Second Lieutenant Edmund Basil Walker, from The Dorsetshire Regiment, Special Reserve, to be Second Lieutenant. Dated 2nd January, 1915.