William Walker Age 27
Regimental No.174352 Gunner Royal Field Artillery
36 (Ulster) Division Ammunition Column
Previously SE/3993 Army Veterinary Corps
Killed in Action 5 October 1918
Buried Potijze Burial Ground Cemetery
NB - there is no William Walker on the War Memorial
There is a William Walter - but the unveiling report in the Southern Reporter of December 1920 lists a William Walker, RFA. Did the sculptor make a mistake? No military records seem to be available for the man with the above regimental numbers, other than that he was killed in action and of his effects being distributed to his siblings.
Personal Background
Research has found a William Walker who came from Stow, and who is commemorated on the Stow Memorial. The family, with whom we have been in touch, are baffled as to why he might have been listed in St. Boswells. They are in possession of his medals, which tie up with some aspects of the information we have about regiment etc.
1901 Census shows the family in Stow. Father, James, born in Stow, was a railway surfaceman, as was elder brother, James. Mother, Isabella, apparently hailed from Cromarty or Nigg. Big sisters Jessie and Jane are no longer at home, but Isabella, 17, George, 15, Mary Ann, 12, and William, 10, are all there.
William is mentioned in a couple of public trees, but there is no detail on him other than birth and in one case, death is not recorded. Email was sent to the owner of a private family tree to enquire if they could provide any insight as to why he is commemorated at St Boswells. The response was that as far as they were aware, William lived with his spinster sister after his parents died and then went to war. They also have his medals etc and he is commemorated on the Stow Memorial as well, so they were equally baffled.
There are, however, many William Walkers in the military records and finding one that might fit the bill better is difficult. There was one born in 1879 in Maxton who might be a possibility, if he was still fit to enlist at the age of 44. His parent, Alexander and Isabella Hope were born at Hownam and St Boswells respectively. They lived at Maxton and William and his sister, Elizabeth, were both born in Maxton. In 1881 the family are at the Wynd, in Melrose, 1891 in Newstead and in 1901 at Dove Cottage, Melrose. However, in 1861 William's grandmother, also Isabella Walker, was living at the Stewards' House, Maxton and is listed as a farmer's widow. Her son, John, born in Coldstream, is the Farm Steward. Also living with them is Williams' mother, Isabella Hope, aged 17, born in St Boswells. Her family moved about but very locally - Lessudden, Mertoun, Maxton, St Boswells. After the death of the father, Isabella's mother moved to Muttonhole, at the top of the ridge above Rutherford fruit farm.
There are some William Walters, but none with any obvious link to St Boswells.
Military Background
Although this may not be the right group, this entry from the War Diaries 1 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company makes for interesting reading. They were based in 1918 at Boucly - not far from Albert in Picardy.
The diary ends the month of September with the happy comment that all animals and men in good health. Within a couple of days, however, there is an outbreak of PUO (Trench Fever) which starts with a couple of men being evacuated, then another two the next day, one on 5th and then becomes a veritable flood. Within a couple of weeks there have been 48 men struck down, some of them evacuated to field hospitals. Some were kept with their unit in Nissan huts and cared for by RAMC personnel. Sadly one of those doctors also succumbs to it and dies at the unit. Reinforcements arrive later in the month, suggesting that some others may also have died or been unfit to return to duty. The outbreak lasts virtually the whole month, before abating.
The Ammunition Column's role was to be constantly keeping the Division's artillery supplied. This was done by means of wagons pulled by mules, each wagon being assigned two men. In the War Diary for the date on which William died, it states "Casualties by enemy shell fire - one other rank (perhaps Pte. Walker) killed, 1 wounded, 3 mules killed and 1 injured."