Harold Walker

Harold Walker was the son of Herbert and Sarah Ann Walker (née Eden). His father Herbert was born in about 1849 (d. 1910) at Derby and his mother Sarah Eden was born at Lenton in about 1851. They were married at Basford St Leodegarious in November 1872 and had six children: Thomas William b. 1873 d. 1911, Ruth b. 1874 and Horace b. 1878 d. 1902 who were born in Basford and Mary Louisa b. 1881, Kate b. 1883 and Harold b. 1886 who were born in Nottingham. In 1881 Herbert, a lace maker and Sarah were living on Gadd Street, Nottingham, with their four children Thomas, Ruth, Horace and Lily (sic. probably Mary Louisa). They had moved to Mabel Street in Nottingham by 1891; Herbert was now working as a millwright pattern maker. With the exception of the eldest son, Thomas, all the children were in the home on the night of the census. Herbert, a millwright, and Sarah were still living on Mabel Street in 1901. Only Mary a mantle assistant, Kate a lace warehouse assistant and Harold, an errand boy, were still living at home. Also in the household was Herbert and Sarah's grandson, Leonard Walker (5). Of their three other children, Thomas had married Agnes Jane Walker in 1895 and Ruth had married William Reddish in 1899. Horace had married Grace Maria Gains at Nottingham (Meadows) St Saviour in September 1900 and they were living in Carlton. Horace died in March 1902 aged 23 (buried Nottingham General Cemetery). Herbert died in 1910 (O/N/D) aged about 61. In 1911 his widow, Sarah, and their grandson Leonard, a grocer's assistant, were living on Beauvale Road, Meadows, with her married daughter Mary Louisa Brown and her husband Arthur, a flour carter (employer). Mary and Arthur had married in 1904 and later emigrated to Australia where they settled in Queensland. Thomas and his wife and their four surviving children were living off Kirkewhite Street, Meadows, in 1911. Thomas died in April that year. Ruth Reddish and her husband William were living in Beeston, Nottingham, while Kate and Albert Steggles were living in West Bridgford, Nottingham. Harold married Catherine (Kate) Smith (born April 1884, Aslockton) in 1908 at Nottingham. They had two children - Ernest born 21st September 1910 and Reginald born 20th April 1913. In 1911 they were living at 23 Spalding Road, Carlton, Nottingham. The family later lived at 30 Moreland Street, Meadow Lane, Nottingham.

1901 - errand boy. 1911 - carpet salesman.

Enlisted West Bridgford, Nottingham.

2/6th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) The 2/6th Bn Sherwood Foresters was a Territorial unit formed in September 1914. The Battalion served in Ireland from April 1916 and then posted to BEF France in early 1917. The Battalion was at North Camp, Mory, from 2 March 1918 to 10 March 1918 and then between 11 March and 20 March was occupied in the front line in ‘U.14 (Sheet 57C).’ The German Spring Offensive began the following day and the entry for 21 March in the battalion’s War Diary reads: ‘Place U.14 Very heavy enemy barrage on front line from 5.0am to 9.30am. Enemy attacked at 9.30am. Battn suffered very heavy casualties.’ The following day, 22 March, the Battalion was at Ayette, ‘Remainder of Battn withdrawn to Ayett F6.C.3.3. (Sheet 57D).’ Harold was killed in the German attack on the British front line on 21 March 1918. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France (Bay 7). CWGC - History of the Arras Memorial (extract): the Memorial is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras. 'The French handed over Arras to Commonwealth forces in the spring of 1916 and the system of tunnels upon which the town is built were used and developed in preparation for the major offensive planned for April 1917. The Commonwealth section of the Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery was begun in March 1916, behind the French military cemetery established earlier ... The graves in the French military cemetery were removed after the war to other burial grounds and the land they had occupied was used for the construction of the Arras Memorial and Arras Flying Services Memorial. The adjacent Arras Memorial commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)

Research by Peter Gillings Registers of Soldiers' Effects: date of death 21 March 1918 'presumed.' His widow Kate was his sole legatee. Kate Walker was awarded a weekly pension of 25 shillings and 5 pence for herself and her children with effect from 25 November 1918.