Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Private Thomas Henry Walker was serving with the 2/5^th Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) when he passed through Peterborough East Station on 5 April 1917.  He wrote in the visitors’ book “many thanks to the kind ladies at the Soldiers rest room in Peterborough”.

Thomas Henry was one of eleven children born to Thomas, a domestic gardener and Lois Walker (nee Webster).  In 1901 Thomas, aged six, was living at Edith Weston, Rutland with Thomas (44), Lois (42), Charlotte (16), Amos (12), Mary (9), Rose Betsy (5) and a one day old baby. The family were still living at 30 Edith Weston in 1911, some of the children had left home, but still at home were Amos (22) a domestic groom, Thomas (17) a domestic gardener, Rose (15) a nurse maid and Mabel (10) at school.

Thomas was 22 years and five months when he attested on 11 December 1915, joining the Leicestershire Regiment. He was mobilised on 27 January 1916 and transferred to the 2/6^th Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) on 7 February 1916. Private Walker went to Ireland in May where the battalion were involved in the aftermath of the Irish uprising.  On the 10 May 1917 the battalion went to France and fought around Cambrai, Bapaume and Passchendaele. On 16 April 1918, Private Walker died as a result of a revolver wound to his abdomen which he received during the action at Kemmel Hill in the Second Battle of Aisne. He is buried at Haringhe (Bandaghem) Military Cemetery, near Poperinghe, grave I.E.24. Private Walker is remembered on Edith Weston’s war memorial. http://www.rutlandremembers.org/fallen/460/walker-private-thomas-henry

He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory medals.

Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Thomas.