Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

 Richard Ernest Walker was born on the 18th of February 1888 in Middlesex, London. Richard later migrated to Australia.

Richard had no previous military service on his record before enlisting. Richard’s occupation before the war was a Cook. He had a brother named John William Walker who served in the Lancashire Fusiliers as a Sergeant Major.

Richard enlisted on the 19th of August 1914 in Morphettville, South Australia at the age of 26. His father, John William Walker was his nominated next of kin. Walker was examined and was considered ‘fit for active service’ on the 22nd of August 1914 in Morphettville, South Australia. He was appointed to ‘B’ Company in Morphettville to pursue training on the 22nd of August 1914. 

On the 20th of October 1914, Richard embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on the ship HMAT A11 Ascanius with members of the 10th Battalion to Alexandria, Egypt. On the 13th of May 1915, Richard was admitted to No.1 Clearing hospital in Geba Tepe with ‘dysentery’ and was transferred to the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria. He returned to Gallipoli in March. Then, again on the 3rd of December 1915, he fell ill and was admitted into hospital with ‘Enthesitis’ (the inflammation of one or more entheses, this can cause joint pain and can cause struggles with mobility) and stayed in hospital until the 4th of January 1916.

Richard was taken on strength to the 50th Battalion on the 26th of February 1916 and was transferred to the 13th Machine Gun Company on the 22nd of March 1916.  He spent a few weeks training at the School of Instruction at Zeitoum and was appointed as a Driver before travelling to France disembarking at Marseilles 13th June 1916.  

On the 13th of May 1917, Richard was sent to hospital due to sickness and was later moved to Netley, United Kingdom where Richard would be admitted into the Royal Victoria Hospital for ‘cellulitis’ (which is a skin infection caused by bacteria entering skin through either a cut, scratch, ulcer or insect bite) in his left hand.

Richard married Mary Anne Elizabeth Tremain on the 4th of August 1917. This caused Richard on the 6th of August 1917 to be charged with committing a crime by overstaying his leave, this led to awards being admonished by a Major and 6 days of pay forfeited.

On the 14th of September 1918, Richard got a gunshot wound in both legs, from the unit diaries it states that this day was a ‘big attack’ and in total, 18 prisoners were taken, 2 officers were killed, 2 officers were wounded, 2 other ranks were killed, and 2 other ranks were wounded (one of these ‘other ranks’ was Richard). On the 2nd of March 1919, Richard was granted ‘special leave’ for 15 days with pay in England.  When Richard joined back from leave on the 17th of March 1919, he had to go through a parade, then an inspection and then a short march.

On the 21st of August 1919, Richard was granted indefinite leave (or was discharged) along with multiple other members of the 13th Machine Gun Company. Richard then returned to Australia arriving 27th March 1920 with his wife and child. He was formerly discharged from the AIf 10th June 1920

Richard later passed away on the 20th of April 1960 after being recorded ‘wounded accidentally’. Richard would be buried in the South Australian Garden of Remembrance and a gravestone was put above his grave stating that he was both a private and a driver.

Reference List

13th Machine Gun Company. Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/351.

AWM4 Subclass 24/18 - 13th Australian Machine Gun Company. Awm.gov.au, 2024, www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338674.

Richard Ernest Walker.” Adfa.edu.au, 2024, www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=311181.

The National Archives (2019). 1833 factory act. Nationalarchives.gov.uk, [online] 1(1). doi: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.htm. 

Naa.gov.au. (2015). Session expired | RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=635832&isAv=N.

Second Re-Inforcements, 50th Battalion. State Library of South Australia, 2024, collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+280/1/18/101.

2/4th Machine Gun Battalion Ex Members Association. (2022). Welcome - 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion Ex Members Association. [online] Available at: https://2nd4thmgb.com.au/about/.

ljbrain (2014). Was there a Catering Corps (or the like) in WW1? [online] The Great War (1914-1918) Forum. Available at: https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/206388-was-there-a-catering-corps-or-the-like-in-ww1/.

Trove. (2014). IN the Supreme Court of New South Wales.—Probate Jurisdiction.—In the will of ERNEST RICHARD WALKER, late - Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001) - 20 Dec 1968. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220039181?searchTerm=Richard%20Ernest%20Walker.

National Army Museum. “Weapons of the Western Front | National Army Museum.” National Army Museum, 2024, www.nam.ac.uk/explore/weapons-western-front.

“First World War: The Western Front | Naa.gov.au.” Naa.gov.au, 2024, www.naa.gov.au/students-and-teachers/student-research-portal/learning-resource-themes/war/world-war-i/first-world-war-western-front.