Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Lance Corporal CAC Walker was serving with the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry when he passed through Peterborough East Station and signed the visitors’ book on 22 September 1916.

He wrote “Fourteen Shropshires just back off ‘the land’ think the GER Rest Room is grand.  There is plenty to eat, repose more, or less sweet and the ladies extend the glad hand.”  He also drew some fantastic sketches of a “Tommy – on the land”, a “lady farmer”, “the steward” and “Reid”.  Do take a look at the sketches to see if you recognise them as the work of a relative of yours.  He made a further book entry on the following day, 23 September 2016.

This soldier has not been positively identified as his service records could not be located. However, we think he might be Charles Albert Coulter Walker, although the only military records for a C A C Walker record him as being with The Queen’s Regiment (Royal West Surrey) and Machine Gun Corps and not the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry as stated in the visitors’ book.

In spite of this we still think he could be Charles Albert Coulter Walker who was born on 31 August 1891 to parents Thomas, a family grocer, and Cecilia Elizabeth (nee Coulter).  In 1891, baby Charles and his mother are living with his grandparents Charles and Catharine Coulter in Compstall Road, Ludworth cum Chesworth, Derbyshire.  In 1901, Charles (10) was living with Thomas (38), Cecilia Elizabeth (38) and his sister Beatrice (8) at 315 Stockport Road, Manchester.  The family were living at 1 Upper Plymouth Grove, Stockport Road, Manchester in 1911 and Charles (20) was a fire insurance clerk.

It was not uncommon for soldiers to serve in a number of different regiments.  From the information we have found it seems that Charles may well have started out in the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and transferred to The Queen’s Regiment, with the rank of Corporal, before finally joining the Machine Gun Corps.  He is mentioned in the 23 July 1918 edition of the London Gazette when, as an officer cadet in the Machine Gun Corps, he is made a temporary 2^nd Lieutenant from 26 June 1918.

Charles married Kathleen M Jones in 1924 in Salford, Manchester.  In 1939, Charles and Kathleen were living at 24 Kingsway, Manchester with Charles’ father, Thomas.  Charles was a commercial journalist and his father was in the wholesale grocery trade.

Charles died at Ladywell Hospital, Salford on 31 January 1960, aged 69.  He was living at 304 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester.

Could Charles be a relative of yours? If so, please get in touch and help us clarify this soldier’s story.