Arthur Henry Walker
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Arthur Henry was the third son of John Thomas and Sarah Walker (née Dean). His father John Thomas was born in North Scarle, Lincolnshire, in 1863 (J/F/M Newark, mother's maiden name Moody) and his mother Sarah Dean in Staveley, Derbyshire, also in about 1863. They were married at Selston St Helen on 5 February 1887 and had ten children who were all born in Selston, births recorded in the Basford registration district: John William b. 1887 (O/N/D), Willis birth registered 1889 (J/F/M), Maggie Hannah b. 1891 (J/A/S), Arthur Henry b. 1893 (O/N/D), Frederick Dean b. 1895 (O/N/D), Joseph Moody b. 1896 (O/N/D), Samuel Percy b. 1898 (O/N/D), Charles Redvers b. 1900 (O/N/D), Walter Edward b. 1902 (O/N/D) and Dorothy Elizabeth birth registered 1906 (J/F/M). John Thomas, a coal miner, and his wife lived in Selston until they emigrated to New Zealand some time after 1911. In 1901 they were living on Alfreton Road with their eight children; only the eldest, John William (13), was in work and he was employed as an apprentice grocer Walter Edward was born the following year and Dorothy Elizabeth five years later in 1906. John and Sarah had moved to Allen's Green, Selston, by 1911; nine of their ten children were still living at home: Willis (22) a coal miner contractor, Maggie Hannah (19) who was described on the census as 'at home', presumably assisting her mother with household duties, Arthur Henry (17) a coal miner ganger, Frederick Dean (15) a coal miner ganger, Joseph Moody (13) a coal miner/pony driver, Samuel Percy (12) Charles Redvers (10), Walter Edward (8) and Dorothy Elizabeth (5). Their eldest child, John William, had married Martha Ellen Kirk in 1907 (J/A/S Basford) and in 1911 they were living on Nottingham Road, Selston, with their son William (3); a second child had died in infancy. John was a branch manager with the Co-operative Society. At least one other child married before emigrating to New Zealand; Maggie Hannah married Thomas E Grainger in 1913 (J/A/S Basford).
2nd Bn Auckland Regiment NZEF Arthur Henry was killed in action on 1 August 1917 during the Passchendaele offensive and was buried in Mud Corner Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. II.D.7). CWGC - Mud Corner Cemetery (extract): 'Mud Corner was the name given to a road junction on the northern edge of Ploegsteert Wood, very close to the front. The cemetery was used from 7 June 1917, when the New Zealand Division captured Messines, to December 1917.' nzhistory.govt.nz/war/infantry-units/auckland-infantry-regiment: 'The New Zealand Division, which included all New Zealand’s infantry units, sailed for the Western Front in April 1916. From then until early 1918 the infantry spent most of its time in the trenches, where it defended its positions and attacked the enemy in trench raids. It also participated in the major Somme, Messines [1917] and Passchendaele [1917] offensives.' 'The Auckland Infantry Regiment in the NZEF was one of four regional infantry groupings (along with Canterbury, Otago and Wellington) which made up the bulk of New Zealand’s infantry forces during the First World War. It served as the Auckland Battalion at Gallipoli in 1915 before being divided into 1st Auckland Infantry Battalion and 2nd Auckland Infantry Battalion in March 1916 ... The regiment served on the Western Front from 1916 until 1918.'
CWGC: 'He was the son of John Thomas and Sarah Walker of Selston Nottinghamshire' Arthur Henry is commemorated on the memorial at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. See www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C16237: Posted on the website: 'Arthur Henry Walker was the best sportsman in a family of 10 children who all came to New Zealand with their parents to farm in the king-country. Arthur returned to fight in WW1 and never returned to his new home. His sister Dorothy came to New Zealand aged 2 (sic) and lived to 105 years.‘ The museum website has a photograph of Arthur, which was provided by his nephew Walter John Walker, and a photograph of the section of the memorial which bears his name.
