Arthur Sampey Walker
he was a labourer upon his enlistment.
- Family History
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Arthur Sampey Walker was born 'Arthur Sampey' in around 1873, probably in Lincoln. He was the son of John Sampey, a pedlar, and his wife Hannah (née Murphy) who were married in Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1859. Arthur had three brothers John James, William and Martin and three sisters Mary Ann, Sarah and Cicely. Between 1869 and 1876 the family lived in various locations around Lincolnshire, the parents sometimes placing the children in various lodgings while they were on the road carrying out their hawking business.
In 1858 Arthur's father, who also used the alias of 'John Brown', was sent to Spilsby Prison for one month for hawking without a licence. In 1867 Arthur's mother was fined for stealing cabbages from a field in Heighington.
In October 1876 a tragedy hit the family. Arthur's father accidentally drowned in the Great Ouse river at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire. This event appears to have fractured the family as by 1881 Arthur's sisters Sarah and Cecily were in the Lincoln Workhouse and the whereabouts of their mother and the other children is unrecorded.
On 18th February 1895 Arthur's mother was married to Alfred Walker, a widower and horsekeeper and hawker, at St. Philip's Church, Manchester. Alfred Walker unfortunately died four years later.
Brother Of Mrs. C. E. Parr, Of 29, Grove St., New Balderton, Newark, Notts. A Reservist.
Above is courtesy of the Loughborough Roll of Honour Website.
On 1st September 1903 Arthur attested to join the Army at Leicester giving his age as 20 yrs and 3 months he was a labourer. He joined the Leicestershire Regiment using the name 'Arthur Sampey Walker' and stated that he was a labourer. He was sent to the Depot of the regiment at Glen Parva as Private 7070 where he stayed until early February 1905. On 18th February 1905 he was posted to the 1st Battalion and sent to Fort St. George, Madras, India. On 16th October 1906 he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion and he remained in India serving at Madras, Belgaum, Delhi, Bareilly and Ranikhet until 1st November 1911. In 1909 he attended an Ambulance Class and in 1910 it was noted that he was very good at nursing duties.
On 2nd November 1911 Arthur returned to England and was transferred to Army Reserve. He found employment on the Midland Railway and moved to Queen's Road, Loughborough.
When war broke out Arthur, a reservist, was recalled by the Leicestershire Regiment and on 5th August was posted to 1st Battalion which was stationed in Fermoy, Ireland. On 19th August the battalion moved to Cambridge.
Arthur went with the British Expeditionary Force to France on 9th September 1914, landing at St. Nazaire, Brittany, on the following day. From St. Nazaire the battalion travelled by train to Mortcerf, east of Paris, arriving early in the morning of 13th September and then began a long march to the British Army in the line at Courcelles, on far side of the Aisne.
On 14th September the 1st Leicesters relieved the Worcesters and Royal Irish Rifles in the trenches at La Fosse Marguel where they came under constant shell fire and sniping until they in turn were relieved on 12th October by 106th French Infantry Regiment. On 13th October the Battalion entrained at Fismes, 40 men crammed to each horse box. Some slept on the roof, although it was bitterly cold. They detrained on 17th October at Cassel and marched to take up defensive positions at Croix Blanche. From there, on 15th October - the day on which the First Battle of Ypres began - they marched to Rue de Bois, Armentières, and Bois Grenier, Arthur, aged 42, was killed in action on 7th November 1914 during the 1st Battle of Ypres. The battalion's war diary for 7th November records that it was quiet until about 3.30pm, when a heavy enemy bombardment was opened on 'C' Company trenches. Casualties were four men killed and six wounded. Arthur was one of those killed.
Arthur is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Panel 4. Arthur's eldest brother John James lived in Nottingham.
Above is courtesy of the Loughborough Roll of Honour Website.
This entire update is courtesy of the Loughborough Roll of Honour website,
Photo of Arthur Sampey Walker
Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium