William George Walker

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person Major-General William George Walker, Template:Postnominals (29 May 1863 – 16 February 1936) was a senior British Indian Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Early career

Walker was born at Nainital, India, on 29 May 1863, the son of Deputy Surgeon General William Walker, Indian Medical Service.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=VCHistory>Template:Cite book</ref> He was commissioned in the Suffolk Regiment in August 1885,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> seconded to the Indian Staff Corps in May 1887,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and promoted to captain in 1896.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> In India, Walker served on the North-West Frontier, including campaigns in Samana, 1891 and Waziristan, 1894–95.<ref name=NAM/> In 1903–04 he served in Somaliland.<ref name=VCHistory/>

VC action

Walker was 39 years old, and a captain in the 4th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army, attached to the Bikanir Camel Corps during the Third Somaliland Expedition when he won the VC. On 22 April 1903 after the action at Daratoleh, British Somaliland, the rearguard got considerably behind the rest of the column. Captain Walker and Captain George Murray Rolland, with four other men, were with a fellow officer when he fell badly wounded, and while one went for assistance, Captain Walker and the rest stayed with him, endeavouring to keep off the enemy. This they succeeded in doing, and when the officer in command of the column, Major John Edmund Gough, arrived, they managed to get the wounded man on to a camel. He was, however, hit a second time and died immediately.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> Rolland and Gough also received the VC for this action.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Later life

Walker returned to India, and served as commandant of the 1st Battalion, 4th Gurkha Rifles,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> becoming a brevet lieutenant colonel in September 1904,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> a colonel in January 1911, and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in June 1914.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Walker served in the First World War as commander of the 9th Sirhind Brigade from August 1914 and achieved the temporary rank of major general in 1915, which in 1916 became permanent,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> as general officer commanding (GOC) 2nd Division.<ref name=commands>Army Commands Template:Webarchive</ref>

Walker died at the age of 72 on 16 February 1936 in Seaford, East Sussex,<ref name=NAM/> and was cremated at the Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton and is commemorated there.<ref name="VC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

His VC is displayed at the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London.<ref name=NAM>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross

References

• Location of grave and VC medal (East Sussex)