William George Walker

{{Short description|British Indian Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross}}

{{about|the Indian Army officer|the former Scottish National Party (SNP) politician|Bill Walker (SNP politician)}}

{{Infobox military person

|name= William George Walker

|image= Captain W. G. Walker, VC, Gurkha Rifles.jpg

|image_size=

|alt=

|caption= Captain Walker depicted on a cigarette card

|nickname=

|birth_date= {{birth date|1863|05|29|df=yes}}

|birth_place= Nainital, British India

|death_date= {{death date and age|1936|02|16|1863|05|29|df=yes}}

|death_place= Seaford, East Sussex, England

|placeofburial=

|allegiance= United Kingdom

|branch= British Indian Army

|serviceyears=

|rank= Major general

|unit= 4th Gurkha Rifles

|commands= 2nd Division
9th Sirhind Brigade

|battles= Third Somaliland Expedition
First World War

|awards= Victoria Cross
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Mentioned in Despatches

|relations=

|laterwork=

}}

Major General William George Walker, {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|VC|CB}} (29 May 1863 – 16 February 1936) was a senior British Indian Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Early career

Walker was born at Nainital, India, on 29 May 1863, the son of Deputy Surgeon General William Walker, Indian Medical Service.{{Cite web|url=https://victoriacrossonline.co.uk/william-george-walker-vc-cb/ |title=William George Walker VC CB|website=victoriacrossonline |date=27 April 2022 |access-date=10 March 2024}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UIosmy8NRwQC&pg=PA136&ci=90%2C83%2C406%2C712 |title=The History of the Victoria Cross |first=Philip Aveling |last=Wilkins |publisher=A. Constable & Co. |page=136 |date=1904 |access-date=2025-03-21 |via=Google Books}} He was commissioned in the Suffolk Regiment in August 1885,{{London Gazette|issue=25506|page=4083|date=28 August 1885}} seconded to the Indian Staff Corps in May 1887,{{London Gazette|issue=25739|page=4996|date=16 September 1887}} and promoted to captain in 1896.{{London Gazette|issue=26795|page=6275|date=17 November 1896}} In India, Walker served on the North-West Frontier, including campaigns in Samana, 1891 and Waziristan, 1894–95. In 1903–04 he served in Somaliland.

VC action

Walker was 39 years old, and a captain in the 4th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army, attached to the Bikanir Camel Corps during the Third Somaliland Expedition when he won the VC. On 22 April 1903 after the action at Daratoleh, British Somaliland, the rearguard got considerably behind the rest of the column. Captain Walker and Captain George Murray Rolland, with four other men, were with a fellow officer when he fell badly wounded, and while one went for assistance, Captain Walker and the rest stayed with him, endeavouring to keep off the enemy. This they succeeded in doing, and when the officer in command of the column, Major John Edmund Gough, arrived, they managed to get the wounded man on to a camel. He was, however, hit a second time and died immediately.{{London Gazette|issue=27584|page=4981|date=7 August 1903}}{{London Gazette|issue=27584|page=4976|date=7 August 1903}} Rolland and Gough also received the VC for this action.{{London Gazette|issue=27636|page=331|date=15 January 1904}}

Later life

Walker returned to India, and served as commandant of the 1st Battalion, 4th Gurkha Rifles,{{London Gazette|issue=28362|page=3072|date=3 May 1910}} becoming a brevet lieutenant colonel in September 1904,{{London Gazette|issue=27711|page=5776|date=6 September 1904}} a colonel in January 1911, and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in June 1914.{{London Gazette|issue=28842|page=4876|date=19 June 1914|supp=y}}

Walker served in the First World War as commander of the 9th Sirhind Brigade from August 1914 and achieved the temporary rank of major general in 1915, which in 1916 became permanent,{{London Gazette|issue=12894|page=86|date=17 January 1916|city=e}} as general officer commanding (GOC) 2nd Division.[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf Army Commands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |date=5 July 2015 }}

Walker died at the age of 72 on 16 February 1936 in Seaford, East Sussex, and was cremated at the Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton and is commemorated there.{{cite web|url=http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/Victoria_Cross_holders2.doc|title=Victoria Cross Holders interred within or cremated at Brighton & Hove City Council's Cemeteries and Crematorium|format=DOC|year=2010|publisher=Brighton and Hove City Council (Woodvale Bereavement Services)|accessdate=4 January 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121206003516/http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/Victoria_Cross_holders2.doc|archivedate=6 December 2012}}

His VC is displayed at the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London.{{Cite web|url=https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1989-05-184-1|title=Victoria Cross medal group, Major-General William George Walker, 4th Gurkha Rifles, 1891–1917|website=National Army Museum Online Collection |access-date=10 March 2024}}