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Private Robert Walker

 

Robert Walker was born on 31 May 1895 at Dunbought, Clogh, County Antrim, the third of seven children of carpenter (later farmer) Robert Walker and his wife Sarah (née Calderwood). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Church Street, Ballymena and working as a hardware apprentice for hardware trader and ironmonger Margaret Denham.

 

Ballymena Observer, 5 June 1914

 

Walker enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 11 and 13 November 1915 (No.1855 – later Corps of Hussars No.71594). The Ballymena Weekly Telegraph of 15 January 1916 reported that he was home on furlough.

He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.

Walker remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 5 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

 

Walker's brother John also served in the war, in the US Army.