Walker E B 2nd Lt 1st Royal West Kent Regiment
Source : The British Roll Of Honour Vol 1
Walker E B 2nd Lt 1st Royal West Kent Regiment
WALKER, EDMUND BASIL, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. Royal West Kent Regt., 2nd 8. of the Rev. George Sherbrooke Walker, M.A., Rector of March, by his wife, Jessie Elizabeth, dau. of Edward Carter, of Hazelwood, Edgbaston; b. Birmingham, 8 Aug. 1888; educ. The Towers, Portinscale, Keswick; Sherborne School, and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and soon after leaving college, went as a master to Sherborne Preparatory School. On 23 March, 1912, he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Dorsetshire Regt. (Special Reserve), and after war broke out joined his regt. at the Front, afterwards transferring to the 1st Battn. Royal West Kents, and was given a commission in that regt. 2 Jan. 1915; took part in the heavy fighting for Hill 60, near Ypres, and was killed in action there, 18 April, 1915; unm.
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 through the awful night of Saturday 17, when so many fell-with two officers under him, and in the early, morning just as day was breaking, their company was 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 and in doing this, lost his own life, for he was shot dead. He was buried in the little military cemetery near Ypres.
Major Dunlop, officer in command of the Battn., 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 nim.” An officer, working with Lieut. 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.” Lieut. Walker was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April, 1915. He was in the O.T.C. at both Sherborne and Cambridge, and 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.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1