Name
William Harold Walker (MM)
26 December 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/04/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Bombardier
32981
Royal Field Artillery
'A' Bty. 177th Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PICQUIGNY BRITISH CEMETERY
C. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Radlett Town Memorial, Christchurch Memorial, Radlett, Not on the Harpenden memorials
Pre War
William Harold Walker was born in Harpenden on 26 December 1892, the son of William and Harriett Walker and baptised there on 26 March 1893. He was one of seven children, although one had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Auriol Cottages, Station Road, Aldenham, where his father was working as a Blacksmith. By 1911 he had moved out of the family home and on the 1911 Census was working as a Gardener Domestic at the Bothy, Houndswood, Radlett, Herts. (a large estate employing many staff). His parents and siblings continued to live at Station Road, Aldenham, Radlett.
He married Agnes Mary Barnes in Hendon in 1916. She was living at 17 Herga Road, Wealdstone, Kent on pension records and later at 40 Park Street, Weymouth, Dorset.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in London in Royal Field Artillery as Gunner L/ 32981 (L signifies local enlistment) and was posted to CLXXVII (177) Brigade RFA in A Battery. The Brigade went to France on 22 Feb 1916 to join 16 (Irish) Division. As a component of 16 Division, 177 Brigade would have been part of the Battles of Guillemont and Ginchy in 1916, Messines & Langemarck in 1917 and in 1918 the Battles of St Quentin and Rosieres ( SE of Amiens). During this period William was awarded the Military Medal and had also been promoted to Bombardier.
He died from wounds on 4 Apr 1918 probably sustained during Rosieres and is buried in Picquigny Cemetery, France.
A picture of William and associated information appeared in the Herts Advertiser on 25 August 1917 concerning his receipt of the Military Medal.
Additional Information
WARNING: It is possible that through contemporary miss-reporting the photograph may be of W H Walker 37016 who died in August (the newspaper reports he had a Military Medal (which would be this biography) but date is August 1917. The man in this biography died in April 1918 and had a Military Medal. However, in the copy we have, it is not clear if it is merely reporting the medal rather than his death.
Brother to Charles Henry Walker who died on 5 December 1917 and is buried at Hermies Hill British Cemetery, France. His widow received a war gratuity of £13 10s and pay owing of £9 7s 7d, she also received a pension of 15 shillings a week from 14.10.18. His regimental number has the prefix ' L/' on some records.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
