WALKER, John Albert
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 June 1915, Captain 1911, Major and Co of 16th Bn (Newcastle) senior cadets |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 14 September 1884 |
| Home Town: | Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cooks Hill Superior Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
| Died: | Adamstown, New South Wales, Australia, 7 June 1947, aged 62 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW CATHOLIC 2-43. 46. |
| Memorials: | Cook's Hill Superior Public School , Hamilton St Mary's Marist Bros' School Newcastle Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Captain, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Captain, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, 19th Infantry Battalion, Captain 1911, Major and Co of 16th Bn (Newcastle) senior cadets | |
| 30 Jun 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Major, 19th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW/SW to right foot | |
| 1 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Major, 19th Infantry Battalion, Temp Lt Col and CO of 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Dec 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Major, 19th Infantry Battalion, 2nd MD |
Help us honour John Albert Walker's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Served during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery, not forgotten.
75 years ago today, on the Monday morning of the 9th June 1947, Major John (Jack) Albert Walker, 19th Battalion, teacher (Cooks Hill Superior Public School, N.S.W.), from 1 Sydney Street, Newcastle, New South Wales and 126 Lockyer Street, Adamstown, N.S.W., was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 62. CATHOLIC 2-43. 46.
Born at Newcastle, New South Wales on the 14th September 1884 to John White and Sarah Walker; husband of Florence Mary Walker nee Hogan (married 1913, Sydney, N.S.W., died 24.1.1948, sleeping here) of 5 Tyrrell Street, Newcastle, N.S.W., Jack enlisted June 1915 at Sydney, N.S.W.
Wounded in action - 29.7.1916 (penetrating wound of right foot from high explosive shell fragment, severe, Battle of Pozieres).
Jack returned home November 1918, being discharged on the 11th December 1918.
Mr. Walker’s name has been inscribed on the Merewether Public School Roll of Honor, Cooks Hill Superior Public School Roll of Honour, St. Mary's-Marist Bros' School (Newcastle) Honour Roll, Newcastle Surf Club & Life-Saving Brigade Honor Roll.
I have placed poppies and a 1914-1918 WAR label at the gravesite in remembrance of Jack’s service and sacrifice for King & Country.
Many thanks to Jack's Great Nephew Roger Lambert for the notification, photos and family history.
Great Uncle Jack was a Major with the 19th Battalion and was responsible for recommending LT Storkey for the VC for his actions during the fighting around Hangard Wood on 7 April 1918. Somewhere along the line, he added another 'J' to his initials and is referred to as J.J.A. Walker rather than John Albert. I suspect that the additional 'J' was his doing for Jack, the name he was usually called within the family. His letters home to his wife and mother are now with the AWM in Canberra, having been donated by my late mother (but not before she slavishly typed out all the letters for which I'm now the custodian). Jack is resting with his wife, Florrie (as she was known), near the Chapel at Sandgate. My young brother sent me the attached image of the gravesite this morning.
Sadly, there is a need for a few repairs to the headstone which we will look into but importantly, to my mind, there's no recognition of his military rank or service during the Great War. What we don't know is whether this was of Jack's choosing, or whether, unlike today, commissions and therefore titles were relinquished once discharged.
Two images of John Albert Walker as a CAPT and then a MAJ. The former was probably taken pre-embarkation and the latter was probably taken in England.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.