Button Stick With a Sad Link to the Fall of France, 1940

[Spitace41]

Hi all. Picked this up due to the service numbers and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers abbreviation stamped on it. It has two service numbers on, on of which has been struck out. After carrying out some further research however, I found out that this simple, ubiquitous item had been issued to:

4270214 Fusilier WILLIAM LAWSON WALKER
7th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (a machine gun battalion in 51st Highland Division).
Died 23rd May 1940, aged 25.
Buried at St. Severes Cemetery, Rouen, France.

Casualty Details

I assume that this item would have been left in barracks in Britain rather than being on Fusilier Walker's person and probably continued to be issued? Either way, it is a small item that to me at least, provides a memorial to one of so many lost during the Fall of France.

Thanks for looking.

[douglas2496]

A very good, poignant item. I love personal kit like this.

[Jerry B]

Always good to see examples that can be traced to their former owners. Here is my example which I am adding more information on since you posted this thread so have bumped it. RWF marked button stick