Douglas Walker

32 years and 7 monthsBorn Tenterfield, New South Wales 1883, the son of prominent grazier W. H. Walker and Georgina Martha Walker, of Tenterfield Station. Educated at Bowenfels New South Wales. His sister Alice Emily Walker married Banjo Paterson in 1903. Worked as a telegraphist for the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company and joined the Singapore Volunteers during an overseas posting in 1914. Arrived in Darwin from Singapore per 'Montoro' 11 October 1915 to take up a supervisory position with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co., but later resigned his position in order to enlist. Mr. Don Walker: "We regret to announce that news has been received privately, that Mr. Don (sic) Walker formerly of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co. Ltd., has been killed in action." Source: NT Times and Gazette. Red Cross files..."on 3 September 18, the company was going up the "Inferno" trench to the left of Mont St. Quentin for the purpose of helping a Tommy Regiment. About half past 9 a.m. they were going along the trench, carrying their gear into a position when Fritz spotted them and dropped a shell into the trench with the result that Walker and four others were killed outright. Informant was only 3 yards away in the bend of the trench and saw Walker fall." Walker had a brother not far away who was brought along but was too late to see his brother. Brother Harold Victor Walker - 580, 6th Light Horse Returned to Australia 26 November 1918.Volunteer duty in Singapore 1914. Sailed from Darwin on the 'Mataram' 8 May 1916 and enlisted in Sydney 22 May 1916. Was assigned to 14 Machine Gun Regiment, 6 Reinforcements and embarked Melbourne on board HMAT A17 'Port Lincoln' 20 October 1916. Transferred to 23rd Machine Gun Company on 18 February 1917 and was promoted to rank of Corporal 10 July 1918. Killed in action Bouchavesnes, France, 3 September 1918 when a shell exploded on top of him.ClerkAustralian Imperial Force3rd Machine Gun Battalio