A Collection of Medals to the North Staffordshire Regiment

A rare and emotive campaign group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Walker, North Staffordshire Regiment, a veteran of operations on the North-West Frontier and the Lango Expedition of 1901, who, as C.O. of the 7th Battalion, was the last officer to be killed in action in Gallipoli

India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Lieut. F. H. Walker, 1st Bn. North Staff. Regt.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Lango 1901 (Capt. F. H. Walker, N. Staff. Rgt.); 1914-15 Star (Major F. H. Walker, N. Staff. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. F. H. Walker), with original card boxes of issue for the Great War awards, extremely fine (5) £5000-6000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the North Staffordshire Regiment.

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Frank Hercules Walker was born in Wadhurst, Sussex in April 1870, the son of Captain (afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel) W. F. H. Walker, Royal Artillery. Young Franks was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers direct from the Militia in October 1892 and was advanced to Lieutenant in July 1895.

Having then transferred to the 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment in the summer of 1897, he saw action on the Punjab Frontier whilst attached to the K.O.Y.L.I., thus - in terms of his own regiment - earning an extremely rare Medal & clasp.

He subsequently gained extra regimental employ in the Uganda Protectorate in December 1899 and it was in this capacity, on attachment to the 4th King’s Africa Rifles, that he was actively employed in the punitive expedition into Lango country under Major C. Delme-Radcliffe, Connaught Rangers, in 1901 (Medal & clasp). It was a tough campaign, fought amidst thick forest and elephant grass up to nine feet high, and in the rainy season. The Field Force suffered casualties of 21 killed and 16 wounded but managed to capture ‘1,485 prisoners, 10,000 cattle, goats and sheep, 3,000 spears and 88 firearms.’

Returning to regular regimental employ, Walker served as Adjutant of the 2nd (Volunteer) Battalion from May 1901 and was advanced to Major in February 1912, the same month he was placed on the Reserve of Officers.

Gallipoli

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Walker was embarked for Gallipoli in the 7th Battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel T. A. Andrus.

Landing at Cape Helles on the 11th, the unit suffered its first casualties during an attack on the 19th. Having then repulsed an enemy counter-attack on the 23rd, it was embarked from ‘V’ Beach for Lemnos, in readiness for the ANZAC landings in August.

After a precarious voyage in an ancient steamer that once plied between Ardrossan and Belfast - the men were told to keep still in case they capsized the vessel - the Battalion came ashore at Gaba Tepe on the evening of the 3rd August. An unpleasant advance from White Gully ensued, the whole undertaken over open ground which was subjected to an intense and accurate barrage; Andrus ordered to dig his men in on a feature overlooked by the Turks on Sari Bair - any movement was impossible and casualties quickly mounted. He later wrote:

‘We do not dislike the Turk, he is a most gallant and brave fighter ... sometimes they bayonet all the wounded, and in one case a man had his tongue torn out, but on the whole, they seem to fight fair ... We were in the thick of it, and got into two lines of Turkish trenches, the Turkish dead simply plastered the ground - we buried all ours, but it is so dangerous trying to bury men under close fire ... Quite apart from our own killed and wounded - so many officers and men have missed death, or wounds, by so little, that it almost appears harder to hit a man than miss him. One subaltern was blown head over heels by a bomb and beyond a slight bruise has nothing to show for it - any number have bullet holes through their helmets and some through their clothes - I, one day, had the periscope I was holding over the fire trench, blown to bits in my hand, and cut deep into the tip of my nose, and there is still some glass still in it.’

On the 7th, the Battalion assembled at the entrance of Aghyl Dere in readiness for an attack on Hill ‘Q’; the advance was checked by the Turks in ‘one of the fiercest fights of Gallipoli - every inch of ground was disputed with bayonet and bomb’ and the unit sustained around 270 casualties, among them Andrus, who was severely wounded. He later wrote home from his hospital bed in Alexandria:

‘I am so anxious to know, naturally, how the battle went after I was taken away - it was a most grim and bloody business, probably bloodier than anything yet in this war - our men and officers, as is usual, were heroic, and it was always on - on - on ... I do not think the censor will object to me saying that we made a new landing among other things and that after two days & two nights of continuous fighting and advancing, the whole of my Division took on the main Turkish position on a very high hill, and the fighting in this place was absolutely desperate and bloody on both sides - almost - in fact, all my personal friends were killed here - but on we went.’

In early September, Walker assumed command of the Battalion in the temporary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. The unit was then serving in the Sulajik sector, the commencement of a long period of trench warfare during which ‘heat, sand and flies accounted for as many lives as did the bullets and shells of the enemy.’ Further casualties were suffered during the ‘great storm’ and blizzard in late November:

‘The trenches and dug outs were flooded, icy water sweeping all before it. Men were caught without any chance of escape. Many drowned and others were killed by collapsing trench walls and dug out roofs, or battered to death against rocks. The trenches remained waist-deep in water for some time’.

Walker killed in action in the firing line on 7 January 1916, in the immediate lead up to the Battalion’s withdrawal from the peninsula. Of the unit’s activities in this period, the war diary states:

‘Took over the Warwicks firing line in addition to the Glosters [on 5 January]. Three companies in firing line, and one in support in Douglas Street. The line extended from about 60 yards S.E. of the Western Birdcage on the right to the sea at Fusilier Bluff on the left. This was almost identically the same line as the Battalion held in July. The opposing trenches were very much closer, being in some places only 10 or 15 yards apart, especially at Fifth Avenue at the top of the Bluff. Countless saps went out from the lines towards the enemy. Bombing was the chief weapon of offence and defence, and in the centre of our line, no talking above a whisper was permitted, as the sound of voices brought bombs. We made great efforts to gain the ascendancy in bombing and succeeded.

Stores were evacuated as far as possible and preparations made for destroying everything which could not be taken away. 320 rounds per man was kept in the trenches, but 50 rounds per man was evacuated on the 6th.

A period of silence was observed during the night, at first from 0130 to 0600 and later from 2330 to 0600. The firing was to die down gradually, but fire was to be opened vigorously if any patrol of the enemy appeared. On the night of the 5th a patrol of Glosters went out along the beach and shot a Turkish sniper on the hillside, and fired at another who ran away.

[On the 7th] at 1115 the enemy started a violent bombardment of our lines, searching the firing line, supports and communications, and the reserves with large H.E. and high velocity shrapnel. This bombardment continued till about 1545, when it increased in intensity, and was accompanied by rifle fire and bombing. About 1615 bodies of Turks came out of their trenches to attack, but refused to face our fire and retired into their trenches again. Two or three Turks searched our lines but were soon killed. The Turks seemed very unwilling to come on, in spite of the obvious efforts on the part of their officers. This bombing was very violent, our supply of bombs ran short and it was almost impossible to get fresh supplies along the mule track. All the telephone lines were broken by the bombardment, and messages had to be sent by hand to Brigade, and to the companies. The firing died away about 1700. Our casualties amounted to one officer and 56 other ranks killed, two officers and 56 other ranks wounded and one missing - total 94. Lt. Col. F. H. Walker was killed in the firing line at the start of the attack. Our casualties were mostly due to the H.E. shells and the bombs.’

To these war diary entries may be added a letter sent to Walker’s widow, by Captain John Robinson:

‘During all the bombardment your husband was in the firing line. Then the Turks attacked. Their trenches were, at one corner only, from 10-15 yards away. Some four Turks got onto the parapet of our trench here and Colonel Walker finding the bay empty collected three or four and rushed into the bay, into which the Turks were firing. I believe he shot two with his revolver and was himself shot. But the Turks were driven off. That I think is the plain unvarnished tale. He fell down into the bottom of the trench and two of our men fell dead on the top of him. I feel sure he did not speak and that he felt no pain.’
 
The following night was quieter at last word came for the rearguard’s final evacuation. Silently the unit’s remaining 200 men moved down to the beach, where all were embarked and the dumps fired - ‘thus the evacuation of Cape Helles was successfully accomplished and the campaign of Gallipoli was brought to a close.’

Colonel Frank Walker was buried in Border Ravine close to his dugout, in a grave marked out with empty shell cases and a solid wooden cross edged in black and recording his name. Despite the efforts of his men the location of the grave was lost and he is now commemorated on the Helles Memorial.

Walker, who was 46 years of age at the time of his death, was posthumously mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 April 1916, refers). He left a widow, Eleanor, and his name is also commemorated on Barcombe War Memorial, Sussex; sold with copied research.