TOPIC:

A Malta Coy. man in the Boer War and service thereafter - P.H. Walker 6 years 9 months ago #57921

Rory
Topic Author
Offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3449
Thank you received: 2280

Patrick Henry (Harry) Walker

Corporal, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Private, Cape Police – Anglo Boer War
Corporal, South African Service Corps
Corporal, Barberton Commando aka Botha’s Natal Horse
Squadron Sergeant Major, South African Veterans Regiment (Protectorate Garrison Regiment) - WWI
Staff Sergeant, 1st South African Reserve Brigade, WWII

- QSA with clasps Cape Colony & Wittebergen to 4291 L. Cpl. H. Walker, L.N. Lan. R.
- KSA with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 4291 L. Cpl. H. Walker, L.N. Lan. R.
- 1914/15 Star to Cpl. P.H. Walker, S.A.S.C.
- British War Medal to Cpl. P.H. Walker, B.N.H. (Botha's Natal Horse)
- Victory Medal (bilingual) to Cpl. P.H. Walker, B.N.H. (Botha's Natal Horse)
- War Medal 1939/45 to 65881 P.H. Walker
- Africa Service Medal to 65881 P.H. Walker

Harry Walker, as he was most certainly known as in his younger days, was to see a significant amount of service under four different monarchs before he finally called it a day.

Born in Preston, Lancashire in about 1876 (he was later to lie about his age) he was the son of Harry Walker, a Soldier who had served 25 years with the Yorkshire Regiment, and his wife. Intensive efforts to find Walker in the various England censuses have proved unsuccessful and his early years remain elusive. The first exposure we have to him comes courtesy of the Attestation forms for Short Service (7 years with the Colors and 5 years with the Reserve) that he completed at Preston on 20 November 1893.

Claiming to be 17 years and 10 months old he was a Carter by occupation and already a serving member of the 4th Battalion, North Lancashire Regiment for militia service. He had received some schooling as he was able to sign his name with a reasonable flourish. Physically Walker was 5 feet 4 inches in height, weighed 116 pounds and had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. A Roman Catholic by denomination he had a mole on his left shoulder and a tattoo mark on his left arm by way of distinguishing characteristics.

Walker in his 60's in WWII

Having been passed as Fit by the Doctor Walker was awarded no. 4291 and the rank of Private. Initially attached to the Depot he was posted to the 2nd Battalion on attaining the age of 18 – the record showing that this happened on 20 January 1894. All told Walker was to spend 5 years 304 days on home soil before his regiment was sent to the Mediterranean island of Malta on 20 September 1899. His time in England wasn’t completely wasted or without incident – in April 1895 he was the second witness in a Board of Enquiry into the injury of a comrade – his statement, taken read as follows:
“No. 4291 Pte. H. Walker 2nd Battalion L.N. Lancs. Regiment states that:-

I was playing football on April 12th with Private Trigger when I saw him kicked by accident on the ankle, this caused him to sprain his ankle.”
Quite who “kicked” Trigger was not divulged.

On 19 June 1897 he obtained his Transport Certificate at Weedon and, a year later, on 29 November 1897, he attained a 3rd Class education certificate. Having been promoted to the rank of Corporal on 26 March 1898 all would have appeared to be going well for him however, on 25 January 1899, he was awaiting trial by District Court Martial for an offence “an act to the prejudice of good conduct and military discipline” for which he was sentenced to a reduction to the ranks. Suitably chastised he thereafter, and this is important to his overall service, received instruction and was trained with the Malta Company of the Mounted Infantry in May 1900.

By this time the war between the two Boer Republics and the British Empire had been raging since October 1899 with no end in sight. The two official capitals were in the process of falling to the advancing British but just like a hydra – chopping off the head didn’t mean that the body didn’t continue to function – the Boer leaders merely took their staff elsewhere and carried on the fight. This was the much-celebrated guerrilla phase of the war where small, highly mobile commando units would target slow-moving and isolated British lines of communication attacking them and stealing away at pace with their spoils.

The need for Mounted Infantry to combat these commandos became very important and Walker and his comrades sailed for South Africa on 18 May 1900 for this exact purpose. His papers showed that, at this point, his next of kin were living at 16 Acton Street, London Road, Manchester and came in the form of sisters Sarah and Elizabeth along with step-mother Sarah. His father had passed away.

In the beginning of June 1900 the Malta Company, as the Mounted Infantry component had been named, was posted to the 9th Battalion Mounted Infantry, a corps of which it formed part to the end of the war.

The headquarters of what was now a battalion was at Ventersburg Road, and here in April they were joined by the 2nd Company Malta Mounted Infantry (to whom Walker belonged), about 60 strong, under Lieutenant M. J. Hamilton. This addition again brought the company nearly up to strength, about 120 of all ranks, and with one company of Irish Rifles, was sufficiently strong to keep the Boers at a distance and to make frequent expeditions into the surrounding district, capturing several prisoners and great quantities of stock.

In March a small patrol of the company was ambushed and lost two killed and two wounded; this was the first and only patrol that was surprised in the whole eight months on the line, which speaks well for the keenness and scouting abilities of all ranks.

At last in April came the long-hoped-for orders to move, and on the 27th the battalion started out, about 500 strong, on what was stated to be a four days' trek only. It may be noted that this trek lasted, with never, at the most, more than a week's interval, till peace was declared on June 1st, 1902, a period of thirteen months. Again it is difficult to give a consecutive narrative of their wanderings, as they were on most occasions an unattached column, under Major Pine-Coffin, working independently, with a strength varying from 500 to 1000, two guns and a pom-pom. This pom-pom, which had belonged to the Australians, was now entirely the 9th Battalion's property. The drivers and gunners were from the Malta Mounted Infantry Company, the officer in charge being Lieut. Braithewaite, North Lancashires. It was probably the only pom-pom entirely run by Mounted Infantry without any help from the Royal Artillery.

One day's work was very like another--up before daylight and moving wherever the information led them. Continuous rearguard actions all day, always a fringe of Boers behind ready to seize the best opportunity for a dart at the waggons while the main body was engaged perhaps miles to the front. The company generally had the post of rearguard, a high compliment, indeed, to their efficiency, as it was certainly there that the most "shooting" was to be had, but one that entailed a constant watchfulness and strain on the nerves.

To take the trek month by month. April and May, the country to the west of the railway line from Kroonstad to Bloemfontein, - including joining in a big drive from the Volsch River to the Modder in conjunction with five other columns. They had some hard work at Kalkuit on the Vosch River, where the Boers in force were met, the casualties in the company being three. The big drive was not very successful, most of the Boers escaping in the night, but an enormous quantity of stock was driven into Bloemfontein.

June and July found them north-east of Kroonstad, as far north as the Vaal River, and including the towns of Lindley and Heilbron. Escorting the Worcester Regiment to Heilbron there was some hard work in the rough country round Paardekraal.

August and September they were further south from Kroonstad to Winburg, Senekal, and Bethlehem. At Winburg the company joined Colonel Barker and began a series of night marches with a good deal of success, capturing many prisoners. The furthest measured distance in the 24 hours was 72 miles.

This night work, though hard on men and horses, was really the only way of gaining any success, and from this time until the end of the war by far the greater number of prisoners were captured in this way. As a rule the column started at dusk, at an hours notice, to prevent information leaking out, and marching all night, reached the appointed farm, where a sharp gallop usually resulted in capturing at least a few Boers. No lights or smoking were allowed, and all marched as silently as possible.

October found the 9th Battalion in the Wittebergen Mountains, where the Boers had hidden great stores of grain in the many caves. Parties were out every day searching for these "caches;" as a rule horses had to be left at the foot, and fair climbing resorted to. In this way great quantities of grain were found and destroyed. One day sixteen waggons were captured and burnt. The column at this time was nominally on half rations, but most were able to feed themselves and horses well on what was found in the mountains.

At the end of this trek they returned to Winburg, and here Major Pine-Coffin left for some time. His eyes had been troubling him, and at last he was forced to proceed home on sick leave. He had had the company of which the Lancashire Fusiliers formed part from the beginning and when he was promoted to the command of a column they had always been with him; his dash and quick judgment had inspired confidence in all ranks, and with the whole column regretting his departure, no one felt the loss more than the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Major Holmes, of the Yorkshire Regiment, took over command of the column, and it moved off west in the direction of Kroonstad. Two or three night marches in the district west of Kroonstad were very successful, Commandant David Marais, a well-known Boer leader of the North West district of the Orange River Colony, being among the prisoners. At the end of October the number of prisoners captured by the column in the preceding six weeks was over 1,000, mostly taken by means of night marches, this being before the commencement of Lord Kitchener's great "drives."

In November, the 9th Mounted Infantry, under Captain Bower, Royal Munster Fusiliers, was detached for the purpose of covering the making of a line of block-houses from Kroonstad to Lindley. The Boers made some show of resistance, and at Kaalfontein Bridge there were several casualties, but eventually, after some skirmishes, including a night attack on the camp, the- line of blockhouses was finished,

In December the Battalion was on the west of Kroonstad again, and under command of Colonel Daizell, of the Oxford Light Infantry, trekked up into the Witkopjes, a mountainous district in the extreme north-west of the Orange River Colony. Passing through Vredefort, they reached Pargo, a pretty little town on the Vaal. The column, acting in conjunction with General Cunningham's, endeavoured to corner the Boers on the north bank of the Vaal.

However, the Boers literally rode over a very weak post of the S.A.C. and streamed across the plain about two miles to the left, the veldt dotted. here and there with fallen men and horses-a wonderful sight, but one that meant all the work had to be done over again; and Christmas, 1901, found them moving south once more.

In January, 1902, the command of the 9th Mounted Infantry, now working as a separate column, about 350 strong, consisting of Malta Mounted Infantry (3LF) 1st Derby Mounted Infantry, Royal Munster Fusiliers Mounted Infantry, was taken over by Major Tomlin, Yorkshire Regiment, who remained in command till the Mounted Infantry were broken up at the end of August.

In January and part of February the battalion was moving between the various block-house lines (roughly from the Vaal River in the north to the Zand River on the south), clearing the country of cattle and forage, and, with many night marches, picking up a few prisoners.

At the end of February it was one of the columns taking part in the first of the great drives organised by Lord Kitchener for the capture of De Wet. The 9th Battalion was chiefly employed lying out all night at various farms to prevent any Boers breaking back. The close of the second drive found the battalion at Vredefort Road early in March.

From here, on a night march to the West, the Lancashire Fusiliers' Company captured a prisoner out of a strong party of Boers, which was afterwards found to be under the command of De Wet himself, and the information drawn from this prisoner caused all the columns to cross over the railway to the West, and, after moving quickly southwards, the 9th Mounted Infantry joined the column under Lord Basing at the Lace Diamond Mines. From here the column, moved westward to Bothaville.

The weather was very bad and the waggons stuck hopelessly, in fact the battalion did not see them again till five days later at Commando Drift on the Vaal. As they had only one day's rations this might have been very awkward, for the country had been thoroughly cleared of food and forage. Fortunately, they got one day's rations from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Bothaville, who were most kind and hospitable, being under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Colleton, who had served with the 3rd Lancashire Fusiliers for some time, and who gave a most kindly welcome to them all.

At Bothaville the track of the Boers was taken and followed up, only to find after two days' hard work that they had broken through past another of the columns. At Commando Drift the battalion found it's waggons after the hardest five days spent in South Africa. Less than half a day's rations for the men and a quarter for the horses, added to pouring rain and no blankets, is an experience that does not bear repeating too often.

At the beginning of April the 9th Mounted Infantry was still with Lord Baring's column taking part in the great drive to Klerksdorp to recover the guns captured from Lord Methuen. Over 15,000 mounted men were engaged in this drive. They started from Commando Drift at dusk with nothing beyond one day's ration, and by the evening of the next day had covered 8o miles, stopping just short of Klerksdorp. They were in touch with the Boers several times and had two or three casualties, including Lieutenant Malcolm Knowles, of the Royal Dragoons, killed. Returned next day to Commando Drift. Leaving Lord Baring, the 9th Mounted Infantry moved back eastward to Kroonstad, making two or three unsuccessful night marches.

As can be seen Walker and his comrades were certainly not idle but, as is in the nature of things, he determined to take a transfer to Division II of the Cape Police headquartered in Kimberley. Here he served as a Private with no. 1540 although it is not known for how long a duration. Despite his latter service with the Cape Police Walker’s Kings South Africa medal was awarded off the Loyal North Lancs. medal roll – as was his Queens South Africa medal. All told he was allowed to reckon 2 years and 85 days service in South Africa before being placed on the Army Reserve on 6 August 1902 – where he was to remain, electing to stay in South Africa until his 12 years of service ended on 19 November 1905.

Whilst still on the Reserve he sought and obtained work as a Miner with the De Beers Company in Kimberley and it was here, on 3 October 1903 in Beaconsfield, that he married Annie Maria Matilda De Kock, a Dress maker from Johannesburg. He was aged 27 at the time. This was also the first time that he used his full given names of Patrick Henry. How long this marriage lasted in uncertain but Walker was to become a much-married man tying the knot no fewer than three times.

Freed from the shackles of military obligation Walker now applied himself to his work, however this was to be interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914. Still fired with patriotic fervour he attested for service in German South West Africa with the 7th Mounted Brigade Field Train as a Corporal with no. 2664. Providing his next of kin as his wife of 2 Lawrence Road, Kimberley he was taken on strength on 28 August 1914 being posted to the O.C. Transports at the Depot in Maitland, Cape Town before entering the theatre of war.

German South West Africa as a battleground was best characterised as a war against the elements with the men having to fight off desert sand and a lack of water as they pursued the retreating German forces who pulled up the railway line and poisoned the drinking wells as they went along. On 31 March 1915 Walker was admitted to hospital at Swakopmund for an undisclosed ailment before being released to duty. This provided him with the opportunity to transfer regiments – on 26 April 1915 he enlisted with the Right Wing of the Barberton Commando, also known as Botha’s Natal Horse (part of the 3rd Mounted Brigade) as a Private with no. 1111. On this occasion he provided his wife, Annie Walker of 11 Evans Street, off Transvaal Road, Kimberley as his next of kin.

His service with this outfit was short – until 2 July 1915 – but his war wasn’t over yet – on 22 July 1915 he joined the South African Veterans Regiment (also known as the Protectorate Garrison Regiment with who he served in German South West Africa as a Squadron Sergeant Major with no. 1095 until 31 March 1916 He took his final discharge on 20 October 1916. Walker only claimed his medals on 12 September 1946.

The years immediately succeeding the Great War were not kind to Walker on a personal level. He and his wife divorced at some point – he remarried on 30 December 1919 – to a widow with the name of Beatrice Borcher (born Harvey) in the Magistrate’s Court in Kimberley. He was a 40 year old Miner and his wife, 35 years of age, had no occupation.

Whether she suffered from ill health or not we don’t know but the recently wed Walker was to be widowed with the passing away of his second wife on 10 July 1925. Now resident at 1 Grey Street, Kimberley she was allegedly 38 years old when she died at the Kimberley Hospital. Walker was now left to provide and care for the four children born of her previous marriage as well as George Albert Walker, his own son with her, born on 16 September 1920.
He weathered the storm until, on 11 December 1931 at East London, he wed 30 year old Cornelia Elizabeth Van Zijl. He was 49 years of age and Diamond Miner by occupation still resident at 1 Grey Street, Kimberley which is where the couple made their home.

Life, which had returned to normal, was rudely interrupted yet again by the looking clouds of war. On 6 September 1939, as behove her as part of the British Empire, South Africa declared war on Germany. Walker, never tiring of a uniform it seems, enlisted with the 1st Special Services Battalion at Kimberley on 17 April 1940. Claiming to be 58 and born on 24 November 1882 (it must be remembered that he was born 6 years earlier) he completed the Attestation forms confirming that he had both Boer and Great War service. He also, bizarrely, claimed to be Irish whilst stating that he was born in Preston, Lancashire.

He was married with two children with his current wife aged 8 and 5 and was physically 5 feet 8 inches, with blue eyes , dark hair and a “between colours” complexion. He weighed 135 pounds and sported a tattoo with the British Coat of Arms on his right arm. Assigned no. 65381 and the rank of Staff Sergeant. In April 1941 he was transferred to the 7th Battalion, Reserve Brigade where he served until discharge, medically unfit, on 31 September 1946. He had remained in the Union throughout his service attached to various spots such as Koffiefontein and Vereeniging.

On his discharge form Walker mentioned that he had been “thanked for my services to the armed forces by the Chief of the General Staff” – this was in no way a Mention in Dispatches but rather a signed note that every serviceman received. For his efforts he was awarded the War Medal and Africa Service Medal.

Patrick Henry (Harry) Walker passed away at his home at 1 Grey Street, Kimberley on 22 August 1953 survived by his third wife and all the children born of his various marriages. He was 74 years old at the time proving that he had, indeed, been born in the 1870’s.