Person

Sidney was one of the eight children, all boys, of insurance manager Daniel Walker from Worcestershire and his Suffolk-born wife, Louisa. Born in South Shields on 1 May 1894, Sidney was baptised three weeks later. When Sidney was aged six, the family moved to Halifax where the Grand Insurance Company had its headquarters. All the boys were to find work as clerks, agents or cashiers. In autumn 1911 father Daniel sailed for Canada and settled in Fort William, Ontario where he had work lined up with the Reed Estate. In August of the following year he was joined by his wife and four of their sons, Charles, Wilfred, Sidney and Stanley.

On 5 April 1916 Sidney enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in Fort William and became Private 199248 of the 94th (New Ontario) Battalion which embarked for England on 28 June 1916 on board the SS Olympic. Shortly after arrival his battalion was absorbed into the 17th Reserve Battalion at East Sandling to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. On 27 September Private Walker was part of a draft of reinforcements sent to join the 13th Battalion, then billeted in Warloy, in preparation for an attack on Regina Trench in the Somme.

Moving into the front line on Vimy Ridge on 25 October 1916, enemy trench mortars caused damage that necessitated much repair work and it was in this area, on 30 October, that Sidney Walker was wounded. Having been shot in the legs and fractured his arm, by the time he was taken to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station (a British Army unit) his wounds were infected and he died from gas gangrene.

Private 199248 Stanley Walker is buried in Lapugnoy Cemetery , north west of Arras.

Civil Parish: South Shields

Birth date: 1-May-1894

Death date: 31-Oct-1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: South Shields (birthplace)
13 Clare Street, Halifax, Yorkshire (1901 census)
68 Hill Avenue, Leeds, Yorkshire (1911 census)
1218 Victoria Avenue, Fort William, Ontario, Canada (enlistment papers)

Religion: Methodist

Employment: Clerk, Grand Insurance Co. (1911 census)

Family: Parents: Daniel Walker, Louise Walker, nee Coan
Siblings: William J. Walker, Charles H. Walker, Daniel Walker, Ernest Walker, Percy Walker, Wilfred Walker, Stanley Walker

Military service:

Private 199248
94th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
17th Reserve Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
13th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham