William George Walker

He stayed with a wounded man as gunfire swept the thin bush.

William George Walker was born at Nainital, India, in May 1863, the son of an Indian Medical Service surgeon. Educated at Haileybury and St John's College, Oxford, he entered the Suffolk Regiment in 1885 before transferring to the Indian Staff Corps. Service on the north-west frontier followed, including the Miranzai expedition in 1891 and the Waziristan campaign in 1894–95.

In Somaliland he served with the Bikanir Camel Corps. On 22 April 1903, after the action at Daratoleh, Major John Gough's column was returning towards Danop. Thick bush and the difficult work of loading wounded men onto camels delayed the rear guard. Captain Charles Bruce of the Royal Field Artillery fell badly wounded, leaving a small party exposed behind the withdrawing column.

Walker and Captain George Murray Rolland stayed with Bruce and four other men. The problem was immediate: moving the wounded officer required help, but abandoning him would leave him in the path of the pursuing attackers. Rolland went to find assistance while Walker and the others maintained the defence around Bruce.

The official joint citation describes the rear guard falling behind and records the officers' determination to protect their wounded comrade. When Gough arrived they lifted Bruce onto a camel, but a second bullet killed him before the rescue could be completed. Their effort nevertheless continued under the fire that threatened the whole party. Walker and Rolland's Victoria Crosses were announced in the London Gazette on 7 August 1903; the National Army Museum recounts the citation's action and identifies the other decorations awarded for it (https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1989-05-184-1).

Major-General William Manning presented Walker's Cross in Somaliland that September. His campaigning also brought mentions in despatches and promotion. In 1907 he married Alice Elaine Molesworth; they had a son and daughter. He subsequently commanded the 1st Battalion, 4th Gurkhas, and became a colonel in 1910.

Walker served during the First World War and received further mentions in despatches. His career ended at major-general. Retiring to Sussex, he died at Seaford on 16 February 1936 and was cremated at Brighton. His medals passed to the National Army Museum, preserving both the decoration for the failed rescue and the campaign awards of his wider service.

Official Victoria Cross citation

During the return of Major Gough’s column to Donop on the 22nd April last, after the action at Daratoleh, the rear-guard got considerably in rear of the column, owing to the thick bush, and to having to hold their ground while wounded men were being placed on camels. At this time Captain Bruce was shot through the body from a distance of about 20 yards, and fell on the path unable to move. Captains Walker and Rolland, two men of the 2nd Battalion King’s African Rifles, one Sikh and one Somali of the Camel Corps were with him when he fell. In the meantime the column being unaware of what had happened were getting further away. Captain Rolland then ran back some 500 yards and returned with assistance to bring off Captain Bruce, while Captain Walker and the men remained with that Officer, endeavouring to keep o f the enemy, who were all round in the thick bush. This they succeeded in doing, though not before Captain Bruce was hit a second time, and the Sikh wounded. But for the gallant conduct displayed by these Officers and men, Captain Bruce must have fallen into the hands of the enemy.

(The London Gazette of 7 August 1903, Numb. 27584, p. 4981)