Military History

Walker embarked for England with his father Cyril Walker on September1915 per RMS 'Maloja'  from Fremantle (name recorded as Lee Walker inThe West Australian Newspaper 15.9.1915 p3)
Embarked Southampton 21.10.1915.
Roll Rank Private
Roll Unit 28th London Regiment (Artists Rifles), 1st Reinf.
Walker enlisted with 1/28th London Regt. (Artists' Rifles) on 29.10.1951. Service No. 4819/760764.  He embarked at Southampton, 21.4.1916 for France and was taken on strength with his Battalion in the field in France 27.4.1916. Walker transferred to the 8th Battalion. East Lancashire Regt. after receiving a commission as 2nd Lieut. 30.4.1917. The East Lancashire fought at the Battle of Arras in late April- June. Early morning on 28.4.1917, British and Canadian troops launched the main attack on a front of about eight miles north of Monchy-Le-Preux. The battle continued for most of 28th and 29th April, with the Germans  engaged in strong counter attacks.Walker was stated to have been KIA at Monchy-Le-Preux on 29.5.1917 as part of this action. (Family Notices Western Mail 22.6.1917). Walker was reported buried outside Battalion HQ, 300 yards from the line he was holding. The location of the grave site was not recovered when allies lost ground. No burial site is extant and Walker is commemorated at Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Bay 6. There is a memorial tree marker for him in Kings Park, WA .
Final Rank 2nd. Lieut. 8th East Lancashire Regt.
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Walker was born at Cottesloe WA, christened in Penn Fields, Wolverhampton, UK. It was decided that he should enlist in England. On his death his family erected a brass plaque to the memory of 2nd Lt. Walker in St. Philip’s Church, Penn Fields (Wartime Memories Project). There is a plaque in Kings Park Avenue of Honour, Perth, WA to honour his memory and his name is also on the Guildford Grammar School War Memorial and Honour Roll. He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs C. Walker of Cottesloe and had 2 brothers William Herbert Lee and Cyril Lee- neither enlisted nor saw service in WW1.
Photos RMS 'Maloja'. Passenger/Cargo ship. Photographer unknown, photograph from the Naval Collection of the AWM 303575
             Second Battle of Monchy-Le-Preux Oct.1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source' The War of Nations', Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons
             Artists Rifles, Regimental Roll of Honour and War Record 1914-1919.  Walker, 2/Lieut. Vernon Lee. 8th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment.1917 p16.
             Arras Cemetery. Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC

Information Source
Advertiser SA
Artists Rifles, Regimental Roll of Honour and War Record 1914-1919.  Walker, 2/Lieut. Vernon Lee. 8th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment.1917 p16.
AWM 303575. RMS 'Maloja'. Passenger/Cargo ship. Photographer unknown, photograph from the Naval Collection of the Australian War Memorial
CWGC. Arras Cemetery. Photographer unknown, photograph source Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Guildford Grammar School Archives
Guildford Grammar School Honour Roll
Guildford Grammar School War Memorial
Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons.  Second Battle of Monchy-Le-Preux, Photgrapher unknown, photgraph sourced from 'The War of Nations',  Remembrance Trails of Northern France, http://www.remembrancetrails-northernfrance.com/history/battles/the-battle-of-arras-april-1917.html
National Archives UK
Stagoll Higham, S. Artists Rifles : Regimental Roll of Honour and War Record 1914-1919.Andrews UK Ltd. 2012.
War Time Memories Project http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/eastlancashirergt
Western Mail

Cottesloe, WA.






 

Associated Images