WALTER, John Charles
| Service Numbers: | 464, 16 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles |
| Born: | Kent Town, South Australia , 28 August 1874 |
| Home Town: | Kent Town, Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Norwood |
| Occupation: | Picture Framer |
| Died: | Heart Attack, At Home, Wakerie, SA, 10 September 1939, aged 65 years |
| Cemetery: |
Waikerie General Cemetery, SA |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Warrant Officer II, 464, 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 16, 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles |
Sgt.-Major John Charles Walter
Sgt.-Major
John Charles WALTER
Service numbers 464, 16
Served with 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles
2 years active service in the BOER WAR.
Born KENT TOWN @ 1874
Died WAIKERIE 10th September 1939.
.
John Charles Walter was born at Kent Town in 1874 and was one of the first members of the Norwood school. He had a brother, Captain G. J. Walter,.V.D., and a sister, Mrs. Dora Kiminson.
During the ‘Russian war scare’, he joined the Adelaide Rifles, under the command of Capt. Curtis, as a bugler, and sounded the bugle at the opening of the Jubilee Exhibition of 1887 aged 14 years.
He remained with the infantry until the South African War, when he was among the first to volunteer and left with the first contingent under Capt. Howland. He continued his service with "the 5th and 6th contingents.
He lost the sight of an eye in the battle at Jaggers Fontein, on 11th December 1899, caused through the bursting of a shell.
The Barrier Miner newspaper reported on Friday 25 April 1902, (on page 2) that “Sergeant J. C. Walter will have charge of the local detachment of the Coronation Contingent. Sergeant Walter served with the First and Fifth South Australia contingents in South Africa.”
After being in charge of the contingent that attended King Edward's coronation, WALTER on his return joined the survey party which surveyed the Waikerie district, Pinnaroo and Loxton districts.
He requested and was allotted a block of land at Waikerie, where he built a fine orchard, and became a successful orchardist.
He met and married Miss Ida Modistach, of Ramco. He remained on the block until his death, leaving a wife and two fine sons, Murray and Arthur.
The unexpected sudden death of Mr. J. C. Walter, of Waikerie, was received as a great shock by local residents.
Mr. Walter was at the time one of the Waikerie district's most highly respected residents. He and Mrs. Walter had attended the annual "Diggers'" Ball, on Wednesday evening at Waikerie. He passed away only several hours later in the early hours of Thursday morning, 10th September 1939 at his home, following a sudden massive heart attack.
Mr. Walter was given an impressive military funeral on the next day, Friday, at 3 p.m, when his remains were interred in the Waikerie Cemetery.
Returned men from various River centres, as well as members of the Waikerie sub-branch of the R.S.A.(RSL) took part in the march to the cemetery.
Members of the Waikerie Masonic Lodge also participated. The pallbearers were:- Major T. G. Heming, Messrs. A. V. Ballantyne, J. Allen, E. M. Rowe, A. Hall and C. M. Thomas. (All I believe veterans)
The attendance at the funeral and the floral tributes were the largest ever witnessed in Waikerie to that time, which is evidence of the high respect in which Mr. Walter was held.
LEST WE FORGET
Submitted 10 September 2023 by N. Campbell
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
BOER WAR VETERAN
Ex Sgt. Major J. C. Walter,
of Waikerie
The news of the sudden death of the late Mr. J. C. Walter, of Waikerie, was received as a great shock by local residents. Mr. Walter was one of the Waikerie district's most highly respected residents. He and Mrs. Walter attended the annual "Diggers'" Ball, on Wednesday evening at Waikerie. He passed away only several hours later in the early hours of Thursday morning, at his home, following a heart attack. Mr. Walter was given an impressive military funeral on Friday at 3 p.m., when his remains were interred in the Waikerie Cemetery. Returned men from various River centres, as well as members of the Waikerie sub-branch of the R.S.A. took part in the march. Members of the Waikerie Masonic Lodge also participated. The follow ing were pallbearers:— Major T. G. Heming, Messrs. A. V. Ballantyne, J. Allen, E. M. Rowe, A. Hall and C. M. Thomas. The attendance at the funeral and the floral tributes were the largest ever witnessed in Waikerie, which is evidence of the high respect of which Mr. Walter was held.
The late ex Sergeant Major J. C. Walter was born at Kent Town 65 years ago, and was one of the first members of the Norwood school. He is a brother of Capt. G. J. Walter, V.D., and Mrs. Dora Edminson. During the Russian war scare, he joined the Adelaide Rifles, under the command of Capt. Curtis, as a bugler, and sounded the bugle at the opening of the Jubilee Exhibition of 1887. He remained with the infantry until the South African War, when he was among the first to voluteee and left with the first contingent under Capt. Howland. He continued his service with the 5th and 6th contingents. He lost the sight of an eye at Jaggers Fontein, caused through the bursting of a shell. He was in charge of the contingent that left here for King Edward's coronation, and on his return joined the survey party which surveyed the Waikerie district, Pinnaroo and Loxton districts He was allotted a block of land at Waikerie, where he built a fine orchard, and became a successful orchardist. He married Miss Ida Modistach, of Ramco. He remained on the block until his death, leaving a wife and two sons, Murray and Arthur.
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