Cutting from newspaper of roll of honour.

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

23258

Title

Cutting from newspaper of roll of honour.

Description

Cutting from the Haddingtonshire Courier, May 18th 1917, listing births, deaths and marriages. One entry is annotated, for Sergeant John Walker D.C.M, Seaforth Highlanders, Killed in combat. The article says in brief 'Information has been received by Mr Charles P. Walker, butcher, Leith, late of Haddington that his eldest son, Sergeant John Walker, D.C.M of the Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action in France 15th April last.
Colonel Commanding the regiment said:-
He was killed instantaneously by a shell, and was buried by the chaplain close to where he fell, and where his grave will be well tended.
He was always cheerful under the most trying conditions and a most gallant soldier, with no regard for his own personal safety.
His platoon officer writes:-
He was always a brave and fearless soldier, and he died a hero's death.
The article goes on to read: - The deceased soldier was a native of Haddington, a grand son of the late Mr John Robertson. Of the George Stables, and the late Mr John Walker, for long of the Haddington Customs, and one of four brothers serving in the Army, the second of whom is at present in this country suffering from serious wounds received in action. Sergeant Walker was 29 years of age, and in civil life was a butcher. At the outbreak of the war he joined the Royal Scots Greys, but was afterwards transferred to the Seaforths. He gained the D.C.M for a very gallant deed at the Battle of the Loos in 1915. Gifted with a very fine voice, the deceased was not unknown as a singer in public before he enlisted, and during his military life he was as such much in request for the entertainment of his comrades.

Date

1917

Type

Paper

Location

Museum of Edinburgh

Accession number

HH3697/14/72

This cutting is part of a collection of items relating to an Edinburgh-based man, Sergeant John Walker. In civilian life, Walker was originally from Haddington, but lived in Leith, and worked as a butcher. He and three brothers joined the army. Walker eventually joined the Seaforth Highlanders, where he was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal. He was killed by a shell near Arras at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on 15th April 1917. The collection includes several photographs with holes made by the shrapnel which killed him. A set of photograph postcards of Walker's grave and other memorials, some of which include a man in military uniform, may have been taken by Walker's brothers touring the area immediately after the Armistice.

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