Edward William Walker was born in 1893 at Birmingham. He was the only son and surviving child of William Greaves Walker (1865-1917, b Pitsmoor, Sheffield, d Knockin) and Sarah Caroline Payne (1854-1932, b Llanymynech d Oswestry) who married in 1890. His father, William, was a reverend and was appointed Vicar at St Mary’s Church Knockin. They lived at the Rectory in Knockin. Edward had a privileged up bringing, He was educated privately, with a governess and later at prep school at Moorland, Heswall and then at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey. At Charterhouse he was a House Monitor, a Lance Corporal in the School’s Officer Training Corps, and he played for the Daviesites House football and cricket teams. In 1911 he went up to Keble College Oxford graduating in 1914 with a 3rd in Natural Science (Engineering).

Edward was commissioned in August 1914 – this early date suggests he had been a Territorial Officer before the war, also, his unit, 1/7 Bn RWF, was a local territorial battalion in Merioneth and Montgomeryshire. He went with the battalion to Gallipoli in July 1915 and took part in the landings at Sulva Bay in August 1915 and subsequent engagements at Chocolate Hill ( see also Captain Eric Guy Harries and Acting Corporal 152, David Davies ). Following the evacuation from Gallipoli he served in Egypt and took part in the campaign to capture Palestine and Jerusalem. At the First Battle of Gaza he won the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry, his citation in the London Gazette (14 Aug 1917) reads ‘He led his company forward and assisted by an officer and a few men of another unit captured an important point and held out against sharp counter attacks until the remainder of the position was won. He personally captured a machine gun and a large number of prisoners’. Captain Walker was KIA on 6 November 1917 during the subsequent Battle of Tel el  Khuweilfeh.

Edward is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery. His headstone inscription – ‘Be thou Faithful unto Death and I will give the Crown of Life’ – was given by his mother. He is also commemorated at Knockin, on the War Memorial in the village and at St Mary’s Church. The church, formerly his father’s incumbency, has a memorial window to him. The window depicts St George slaying a dragon, ironic since in that he served in a Welsh regiment and the national symbol of Wales is a dragon. The dedication reads ‘To the Glory of God and in Memory Edward William Walker DSO Capt in 1/7 Bn RWF. Son of William Greaves Walker, Rector of the Parish, who fell in action at Khuweilfeh in the Holy Land on Nov 6^th 1917, aged 25.’ He is also remembered on the war memorials at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry, St John’s Church, Maesbrook – where there is a memorial plaque to him, Charterhouse School and Keble College, Oxford and Roll of Honour of Sons and Daughters of Anglican Clergy.

Edward’s father died in June 1917 his mother moved to live at ‘Bryntirion’ on Morda Road (see also Chief Mate Mercantile Marine Barnard C Spaull). Edward’s will (Probate April 1919) gives the address of ‘Fairhavens’, Hampton Road (see also Second Lieutenant George V Blake)

St Mary’s Church, Knockin, Memorial Window.

Memorial Plaque, St John’s Church, Measbrook.

KIA same day and action –  Private 290908 James Pierce, 7 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers.  (Missing) KIA/DoW, 6 November 1917. Jerusalem Memorial (unknown)

A fellow officer of Captain Walker was Second Lieutenant Edward G (Geoffrey) Thomas, 7 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers. 10 October 1918. Oswestry General Cemetery

Acknowledgements. Photo –  Keble College, Oxford. Charterhouse School Archives

References and Sources

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