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In September 1916 Harold was seconded to the 4th (Brigade) Light Trench Mortar Battery. The role of the trench mortar battery often attracted the unwanted attention from the Germans who targeted their own artillery on the batteries with return fire. Around the 3rd-4th February 1917, Harold was in the front lines preparing his mortar battery for an engagement planned for the night of the 4th-5th at Gueudcourt (Stormy Trench) when he was spotted by overhead German planes and shellfire was directed upon his battery. He sent his men back to the cover of trenches before he himself was hit by shellfire. With a badly wounded arm and chest, he made the tortuous escape to cover with his corporal (where the trench was again hit by shells) and was eventually evacuated to England to convalesce for the next five months. - Source - Letter to family from hospital, England - 19/2/1917

Extract from Harold’s letter written from No3 General Hospital London to family 19/2/1917 -

"Dear Folk,
Excuse scrawl difficult to write with arm in sling. As I’ve been candid all thru, I’m going to be now and tell you everything then you won’t worry, especially now that you have had the news broken by wires & probably a letter from Wilf. Well first of all, know that there is no danger and that I suffer very little and then only at night.
When I got the smack I thought I had stopped an iron foundry, a large one at that, also that my arm was gone but I’m thankful to say it’s still on and going to stay.
I never thought, nor did the crew, that we would get out of the shell hole alive. The crew were digging an emplacement for the stunt at night on the 4th (---?) and I was taking bearings with the prismatic compass on to several points of Fritz’ line that our 2 guns in conjunction with artillery were to bombard that night.
The position was very exposed and several Taubes (German aircraft) were flying above and they evidently signalled to enemy arty, who opened up a vicious barrage of shrapnel & high explosive. I was at a loss to know what to do fearing if I told the crew to make a dash for it they would be sure to stop a shell or two and yet it seemed certain death to remain.
We stuck it for a few minutes and as the crew looked rather scared I said “Look here you chaps can cut & run one at a time or remain here as you wish but I don’t like our position”. So off they went. The Cpl (Ross?) stayed with me for another few minutes when position became untenable and I said “Corporal we must run the gauntlet we are bound to catch one here”. Corporal said “I think so Sir” and then _______thump!! I said I’m done for Corporal. Get ----- It was the suddenness of it and I hardly knew what I said.
Corp says “Oh don’t say that Sir” and I replied “It’s alright its only my arm, I think it’s off”. It just fell to my side hand and fingers shrunk to half their normal size and I couldn’t move a muscle. The hole was a fair size and I lost some blood. Corp wanted to carry me out, I had to smile altho in some pain and asked him did he want us both to peg out. Well we got up and walked out fully exposed to the trench when we got into it was blown up twice a few yards in front and lead whistled all round but we got thru to stretcher bearers who cut off my tunic shirt cardigan and singlet and made a rough bandage. The day was cold and yet the sweat poured off my face, but I got a bit cold walking back to dressing station half-way place first, then to Brigade dressing station good hours walk wouldn’t take stretcher thought casualties be heavy and some worse off than me so they injected me with morphia and on I went with batman.
When I got to casualty clearing station (CCS) they took off bloody garments and gave me clean pajamas and socks and operated but couldn’t find shell which had gone through humerus causing compound fracture into chest.
Next day, it seemed, but must have been second day went off in ambulance to train and landed at Rouen. 18 hour journey and from train ambulance. Again to No 8 General 7/2/17. Here I went under X-Ray twice, result, operated on and shell removed.
Remained Rouen till 15th then left by ambulance to Boat. Wilf came and saw me, picture of health, and was just in time as I left next morning. I expect he came to see me again and found me gone but I told him it was quite likely I would be off so didn’t matter greatly.
Well I fed the fishes coming over (good meal) landed at Southampton came by train to London thence ambulance. There I am glad they took out the tubes before I left France but believe it is a rule and they must keep you there till wounds allow of removal. I had 3 just rubber tubing, similar to that used on motor bike lamp into which they syringe some liquid 2 hourly smarts like salt. 1st few days called Carrol Dakin treatment not long in use.
Went under X-Ray again here yesterday and saw photo, diamond hole as above shows where shell (piece of) went through and dark lines show splintering of bone."
... letter continues

"Lieutenant Harold Walklate was the hero of the line. He had charge of the Stokes mortar battery, and he made it a rule in his squad that, for every offensive thing that the Hun fired across at us, we must pelt back four in return. Unlike a lot of Stokes mortar artists, Walklate would come up to the front line, and receive his share of any retaliation along with the infantry. This was appreciated. One rum-jar battery in the Hun lines was proving very objectionable, and Walklate made up his mind to rub it out. He watched for a long time before its position was located; then, ranging on it, he waited. The following night, as soon as the German crew commenced firing and Walklate caught sight of the sparks of the fuse, he opened up on them. Those that were watching said that, as the sparks of the second rum-jar appeared, Walklate's first shot dropped right on top of it and blew it up."

- extract from E.J. Rule's "Jackas Mob" compiled and edited by Carl Johnson and Andrew Barnes. page 51