Walker W A S Major Indian Army
MAJOR WILLIAM ARCHIBALD SMAIL WALKER (1885-9). 46th Punjabis, Indian Army.
Born 31st October, 1874. He was the second son of Major-General Alexander Walker, C.S.I., Royal Artillery, and brother of Lieut.- Colonel A. D. Walker, D.S.O. On passing through the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, unattached, Indian Army, in October, 1894, being attached to the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry for his first year in India. He was promoted Lieutenant, November, 1897; Captain, October, 1903; and Major, in October, 1912. He served with the 45th Sikhs and then with the 40th Pathans, being posted to the 46th Punjabis on the formation of the regiment. He took part in the operations on the North- West Frontier of India, 1897-8, including the defence of Malakand, action at Landakai, and operations in Bajaur, being awarded medal with two clasps, and in the Tirah Expedition, 1897-8 (clasp). He served with the King’s African Rifles from November, 1903, to May, 1906. After outbreak of war he was sent, in January, 1915, with a double company to British East Africa, being attached to the 130th Baluchis. He was commanding a section of the outpost line at Mziona on the Tsavo River, and while visiting sentry groups with an escort of seven men, he came on the spoor of a large party of Germans. He followed this up for some way in order to locate the enemy, and while returning was ambushed by a smaller party of Germans. In the scrap which followed he and two of his escort were killed on 12th April, 1915, and he was buried on the banks of the Tsavo River. He leaves a widow and one daughter.
Source : Dulwich College War Record 1914-1919
Walker W A S Major Indian Army
.WALKER, WILLIAM ARCHIBALD SMAIL, Major, 40th Punjabis, Indian Army, 2nd 8. of the late Major-Gen. Alexander Walker, C.S.I., R.A., Director-General of Ordnance in India, 1890-97, by his wife, Anne Yewdale Lambert, dau. of Commander William Archibald Smail, R.N.; b. Dum-Dum, India, 31 Oct. 1874; educ. Dulwich College and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. unattd. Indian Army, 10 Oct. 1894; was attd. to the 1st Somerset L.I. for his first year; entered the Indian S.C. 10 Jan. 1896, and was promoted Lieut. 27 Nov. 1897; Capt. 10 Oct. 1903, and Major 10 Oct. 1912; served. with the 45th Sikhs and then with the 40th Pathans, and was posted to the 46th Punjabis on their formation; took part in the operations on the N.W. Frontier of India, 1897-8, including the Defence of Malakand, action at Landakai, and operations in Bajaur (medal with two clasps), and in the Tirah Expedition 1897-8 (clasp), and was afterwards employed with the King’s African Rifles, 25 Nov. 1903 to 10 May, 1906. After the outbreak of the European War, he was sent in Jan. 1915, with a double coy. to British East Africa and attd. to the 130th Baluchis (King George’s Own). He was com- manding a section of the outpost line with head- quarters at Mzima on the Tsava River. While visiting sentry groups with an escort of seven men on 12 April, he came on the spoor of a large party of Germans. He followed this up for some way in order to locate the enemy. In returning he was ambushed by a smaller party of Germans who were following the main force, and he and two men were shot. He was buried on the banks of the Tsava River-the grave was marked by a cairn of stones; the two men who fell with him are buried by his side. A brother officer wrote: “I knew him for a fearless man. He was with my regt. in the Tirah Expedition, 1897-I have never met a braver soldier”; and another: “His escort, Dogras and Gurkhas, five of whom managed to get away, all bear great testimony to his fearlessness and gallantry. He gave the orders with his last breath for his men to scatter; such is necessary in the bush. He is a great loss to us and to our country-we can ill spare such men.” He m. at Peshawar, N.W.P., 30 April, 1913, Marion Balfour, yst. dau. of the Rev. Frederick William Crick, M.A.. Rector of Litton Cheney, Dorset, and had a dau., Anne Margaret, b. 21 Jan. 1914.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1