WALKER, Gerald
No. 52723, Major, Gerald Borland WALKER
Aged 30
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Born in Paddington -registered 1st Quarter 1911 at (St George Hanover Square Q1-1911 1A:386), son of James Borland and Violet Grace WALKER
(née NUGENT) 1911 census...He was 1 month old, living at 6 Seamore Place, Mayfair, London with his father James Borland WALKER,[32] retired army captain, born Kilmarnock, Scotland, and his mother Violet [25] born Pinner, Middlesex. By the late 1930's his father owned Northmore Stud Farm, Northend, Exning. and in the 1939 register was living at Flat 25, 7 Berkeley Square, London. In Q3-1935 Gerald married Margaret Ismay CHANDOS-POLE-GELL ("Peggy") in Westminster). At the time of his death his address was Beenham Lodge, Beenham, Berkshire and 30 Chapel Street, Westminster. |
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In 1939 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) formed as a duplicate of 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), from a small cadre of junior
officers and senior NCOs. Although it perpetuating the title, it did not take on the battle honours of former regiment. From the war diary we have : "Settled down at 458330 to re-form, collect tanks and personnel. People turned up from all over the place and very soon we had accounted for nearly everybody. Tanks came in gradually from various workshops, most of them in a fairly bad state and ill-equipped. From here and there a certain amount of kit was collected and finally by 13th Dec we had collected 32 semi-serviceable tanks. 3 CLY had about the same and 2 RGH had been equipped with M3 and sent up to join 4 Armd Bde and the 'Jock Column'. On the 6th Dec we sent a composite Sqn under Major Lord Cranley to join 4 Armd Bde. Nine tanks of our own with Capt Smallwood, Lt Maugham, Lt Skelton and 2Lt Melville, four tanks from 2 RGH and 3 tanks from 3 CLY. On 11th Dec we sent up B Sqn under Capt Hill Wood, with eleven crews to take over from Major Lord Cranley, who returned. Whilst attached to 4 Armd Bde, Tprs Pooley and Wheeler were killed. Finally orders were received for the Bde to form up as an independent Bde with a Regt of RHA, A/T gunners and a Btn of infantry." From that it is unclear how Gerald died as the unit appeared to be re grouping and officers killed are are usually named in the war diary. He had led "B" Squadron on 26th November in an attack on German transport, destroying 2 lorries and taking prisoners. It is quite possible he was wounded and died of his wounds as Kantara on the east side of the Suez canal was No.1 General Hospital. |
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