Name
Frederick (Fred) Walker
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
There were two Frederick Walkers who served; one is positively identified above. The Parish Magazine of September 1914 records this Fred as one of the men ‘Belonging to the King's Forces to defend the honour of their country’. This is confirmed by the Hertfordshire Express of November 20th 1914, which records him as serving in the 12th Reserve Regiment.
Parish and census records suggest the following possible men:
The first was baptised on March 19th 1877 and was the son of William and Ann (née Titmuss). However, it would appear that he died aged five months.
The second, Frederick Goldsmith Walker was born to Emma on July 1st 1879. He would have been thirty-five at the outbreak of war. By 1911, he had been married to Mary Ann G Walker for nine years. They had three children, but one had died; the two surviving were Jessica Mabelle Mary G (b c1907) and Frederick Benjamin G (b c1908). Fred (senior) was a farm labourer on one of the local farms, and they were living around Little Green. A headstone in St. Mary’s churchyard records that he died on October 31st 1966 aged eighty-seven.
The third was baptised on September 7th 1884 and was the son of Stephen and Emma Walker (née Weeden). He would have been twenty-nine at the outbreak of war. Baptism records list five children: Charles (b 1880), Albert (b 1882), Frederick (bapt 1884), Ellen (b 1887) and Joseph (b 1890).
Unfortunately it is not absolutely certain which man is referred to since, although the latter did serve and was born in Pirton, he was probably living in Offley when the war began. However, as his brother Albert also seems to be listed, it seems almost certain that it is the latter if the two who served.
Sometime after 1901, but before the war, at least some of the family including both parents and Joseph moved to Offley and lived in one of the Claypit Cottages. Albert, Fred and Joseph all served. Albert and Fred survived but Joseph suffered a terrible death and appears in the chapter ‘Should These Names Be On Our War Memorial?’ - these names now appear on the Village's Addenda to the memorial.
In December 1915 this man was stationed at Dovercourt in Essex
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
