The Yorkshire Regiment, Local War Memorials

War Memorials Elsewhere, -
Henley-on-Thames

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The War Memorial on the Henley-on-Thames Town Hall
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Photo © Copyright Tom Bastin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The War Memorial for Henley-on-Thames consists of two stone tablets set on either side of the entrance to the Town Hall.

184 names are commemorated as having lost their lives in the First World War.

One Officer who served with the Yorkshire Regiment is commemorated on the memorial.

Captain Arthur John Walker. 11th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, attached to 6th Battalion Manchester Regiment. Son of John Cecil and Mary Annie Tombs Walker, of "The Mount," Henley-on-Thames. Killed 7 August 1915. Aged 19.
Buried REDOUBT CEMETERY, TURKEY.
The following information on Captain Walker is taken from Robert Coulson's Biographies of Yorkshire Regiment Officers killed in the First World War;-
" Arthur Walker was born at Reading in Berkshire on December 24th 1895.
He was educated at Wellingborough School where he excelled at football, cricket and athletics and was also organist in the school chapel.
At the onset of war he had passed the examinations for university entry and was due to go to St Johns College at Oxford to read for Holy Orders.
This remarkable young man was gazetted with the 11th battalion on October 8th 1914 and by December had risen to the rank of Captain.
In May of 1915 he sailed for the Dardenelles with a draft of officers and on arrival was attached to the 6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment.
Captain Walker was wounded in action on July 9th and on recovery from his injuries returned to his men in the front line on August 6th. The following day during the 3rd Battle of Krithia the battalion attacked at 10-50 a.m. and fought all day eventually falling back at 7-15 p.m. after Turkish counter attacks. Captain Arthur John Walker was killed in this action on August 7th 1915 aged just 19.
Colonel Aspinall of the Yorkshires wrote later to his parents, “It will be of some consolation to you to know that in his short career he has proved himself thoroughly capable of filling the rank he had attained and which in his case must be almost a record in the annals of the army. I never once regretted giving him the promotion he merited”."

The War Memorial on the Henley-on-Thames Town Hall, - WW1 Names "H" - "Y"
Photo : Andrew Tatham of the Imperial War Museum's War Memorial Register

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