Pte
Herbert Norman Walker
Information about birth
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Place of birth: Derby, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 70537 |
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Units: — Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 11th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/01/1917 |
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Place of death: Transport Farm, Zillebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
Cemetery
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Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) Plot: 7 Row: F Grave: 5 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Herbert Norman Walker was born in Derby, Derbyshire. He was married to Nellie Walker and had a daughter, Ena Elizabeth Walker. During the war he enlisted as a private at Belper and joined the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, part of the 70th Brigade, of the 23rd Division.
At the start of the year the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was stationed at Toronto Camp, near Brandhoek. On 8 January 1917 the battalion went into the line at Mount Sorrel, occupying the trenches there until 12 January. In those four days the war diary reports many casualties to shelling by artillery and trench mortars. On 12 January 1917 the Battalion went into reserve at Zillebeke Bund, on the banks of the Zillebeke Lake. Between 13 and 16 January the war diary notes that there “has been nothing to report.” In the evening of the 16th, they go back into the line until 20 January 1917.
At the end of the month, the war diary reports that five men were killed and eleven others wounded. Private Herbert Norman Walker was one of the men killed. He died on 16 January 1917 and is buried at the Railway Dugouts Cemetery, plot VII, row F, grave 5. This cemetery is located west of Zillebeke Lake. During the war the dugouts at this location were used as Advanced Dressing Stations. It’s likely that private Walker died of wounds here and was buried in the cemetery.
At the start of the year the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was stationed at Toronto Camp, near Brandhoek. On 8 January 1917 the battalion went into the line at Mount Sorrel, occupying the trenches there until 12 January. In those four days the war diary reports many casualties to shelling by artillery and trench mortars. On 12 January 1917 the Battalion went into reserve at Zillebeke Bund, on the banks of the Zillebeke Lake. Between 13 and 16 January the war diary notes that there “has been nothing to report.” In the evening of the 16th, they go back into the line until 20 January 1917.
At the end of the month, the war diary reports that five men were killed and eleven others wounded. Private Herbert Norman Walker was one of the men killed. He died on 16 January 1917 and is buried at the Railway Dugouts Cemetery, plot VII, row F, grave 5. This cemetery is located west of Zillebeke Lake. During the war the dugouts at this location were used as Advanced Dressing Stations. It’s likely that private Walker died of wounds here and was buried in the cemetery.
