Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.137 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 37C GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Born on the 28th May, 1875, Oswald was the eldest son of Captain and Mrs. Edwyn Walker, of Mill Mount House, York and husband of Marcia Eugenia Walker. He was educated at Eton.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 15th (The King's) Hussars |
15th (The King's) Hussars August 1914 : at Longmoor. 18 August 1914 : landed at Rouen and soon split up to provide Squadrons for Divisions: A Sqn to 3rd Division; B Sqn to 2nd Division; C Sqn to 1st Division. 14 April 1915 : Squadrons returned and regiment reformed. Placed under command of 9th Cavalry Brigade in 1st Cavalry Division. |
| Action : The Battle of Mons and subsidiary actions |
23 - 24 August 1914. The BEF had its first encounter with the German Army at Mons. Using the defensive barrier of the Mons Conde Canal the BEF was able to delay the German advance partly through the accuracy and speed of its rifle fire, and partly through the heroism of individuals. The first VC's of the war were awarded at Mons (M.Dease & S. Godley). The Belgians pulled the line left and the French to the right and, eventually, the position at Mons became untenable and the BEF slipped away to start its long retreat to the River Marne, to the East of Paris.
Detail :
CAPTAIN OSWALD BETHELL WALKER. 15th (THE KING'S) HUSSARS was gazetted to the 15th Hussars from the Militia in September, 1895, becoming Lieutenant in July, 1897, and Captain in October, 1903. After serving in India for ten years, he was Adjutant of the Territorial Force (Yorkshire Hussars) from October 1908 to January 1912, having been ordered home to take up that appointment.
Prior to the War breaking out he had rejoined his regiment, and was in command of a squadron when he left England with the Expeditionary Force in August, 1914.
Captain Walker was reported missing in the very early part of the war, and was afterwards found to have been killed on the 23rd August, 1914 when the retirement from Mons commenced. His brother officer and Freemason, Lieutenant Cyril WHITTLE of 15th Hussars was killed the following day. Major W. B. Walker, Yorkshire Regiment, a brother of Captain O. B. Walker, was killed near Ypres in October, 1914, and the last surviving brother was serving with the Yorkshire Hussars. Oswald was a keen polo player and pig-sticker in India, a fine rider, and an active follower to hounds. He won his regimental race at Aldershot a few days after joining his regiment, and hunted with the York and Ainsty, the Boreham Moor and for two seasons before his death, with the Blackmore Vale Hounds. Captain Walker married, in 1910, Marcia Eugenia, daughter of Colonel and Mrs. Mansel of Smedmore, Dorset, and left two children : Lois Adeline, born in February 1912 and Consarde Elizabeth born in August 1913.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Ligonier Lodge No. 2436 E.C. | Bengal |
| Joined : | Albert Victor No. 2328 E.C. | Yorkshire (North & East Ridings) |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
8th February 1907 | 2nd March 1907 | 30th March 1907 |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley