Article about: Three KIA's from the Great War were named John Walkden, though there are others with similar names, but only 3 exact matches. All came from in or around Manchester and the plaque came to me
Three KIA's from the Great War were named John Walkden, though there are others with similar names, but only 3 exact matches.
All came from in or around Manchester and the plaque came to me from Merseyside, so unfortunately that does not narrow it down enough to confirm to whom it was for.
Name Rank Service Number Date of Death Age Regiment / Service Service Country Grave /
Memorial Reference Cemetery / Memorial Name Docs.
WALKDEN, JOHN
Private 16578 28/04/1917 East Lancashire Regiment United Kingdom Bay 6. ARRAS MEMORIAL
WALKDEN, JOHN
Private 24506 26/09/1916 24 Manchester Regiment United Kingdom Pier and Face 13 A and 14 C. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
WALKDEN, JOHN
Private 10992 07/11/1914 Royal Welsh Fusiliers United Kingdom Panel 22. YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Of the 3, the one it would suit me most to be would be John Walkeden who served with 1/RWF and was KIA in November 1914 when the battalion was already down to its last 200 men after being decimated in October and then again on the day he died reducing it so badly that it was for while amalgamated into another unit.
Name: John Walkden
Birth Place: All Saints, Manchester
Residence: Gorton, Manchester
Death Date: 7 Nov 1914
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Hyde
Rank: Private
Regiment: The Royal Welsh (Welch) Fusiliers
Battalion: 1st Battalion
Regimental Number: 10992
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre
Unless I can track down the location of the plaques to the 3 men, it is impossible to confirm whose it was, but either way it will be treated with honour in my collection.
The person I bought it from had it from a friend of theirs who spotted it being thrown in a skip 20 or 30 years back in Merseyside, so it has been in that area for at least that length of time, but all three candidates are much the same area in or around Manchester so it does not help. If I can find the 3 mens medals and then see if only two of them have the plaques with them, then Its sorted, but that is quite a long shot.
I can ask the curator Shirley at the RWF museum if they have John Walkden 10992's medals and plaque, or just his medals would be a good result.
I also know a couple of RWf medal collectors and a few historians of the regiment from whom I might be able to get some help.
It's a plaque made in Woolwich (numbers behind the lion's legs) and having the wider H points to the theory that it was cast after the 'She Died' plaques, making it a later casting.
I think Woolwich took over from Acton in late 1920 but there are a few theories around about the wide H. If the museum has an idea roughly when J. Walkden's plaque was sent out, it might help. I did hear once that the NOK of early casualties received their plaques first but have seen nothing in writing to confirm it.
It's a plaque made in Woolwich (numbers behind the lion's legs) and having the wider H points to the theory that it was cast after the 'She Died' plaques, making it a later casting.
I think Woolwich took over from Acton in late 1920 but there are a few theories around about the wide H. If the museum has an idea roughly when J. Walkden's plaque was sent out, it might help. I did hear once that the NOK of early casualties received their plaques first but have seen nothing in writing to confirm it.
Tony
Tony,
I thought the wide H plaques came out early before they switched to the narrow H so they could accommodate the S in SHE?
The museum do not have the plaque for RWF #10992 though that does not prove he was RWF or not, its just proves they don't have it either way.
Just gone through a book I have Jerry, the Collectors Companion by Howard Williamson so forget what I wrote before, it was obviously from memory and I got a bit mixed up
It's definitely an Acton produced plaque and to save confusion for anyone reading this in the future, the following was in H Williamson's book:
Plaques were produced in Acton from Dec. 1918 to Dec. 1920
The first Acton plaques didn't have any numbers in front or behind the lion's leg. Later Acton plaques had a number behind the lion's rear leg
Woolwich plaques have a W on the reverse (although I think they're sometimes hard to see, just in my opinion)
Woolwich plaques have a number between the lion's tail and rear leg
The narrow H on some plaques is associated with Woolwich produced plaques
Acton plaques have a wide H
Tony, perhaps I should have had a closer look at my copy of Williamson's book, I only have the first volume which covers most things I ever wanted to know about Great War medals and associated objects.
I have three volumes, the first two that have many b/w photos, the other volume is what I would call a revised + edition of the first volume. The revised edition has decent colour illustrations and much more info regarding gallantry awards however, not specialising in just one or two aspects of Commonwealth militaria or gallantry awards I'd say Vol. 1, The Collectors and Researchers Guide is only surpassed by Vol. 1 The Collectors Companion because of the colour illustrations and perhaps a little more info.
Vol. 2 The Collectors and Researchers Guide (small arrms, munitions, militaria) is very interesting and underrated but then it all depends on what you enjoy collecting.
Memorial plaque for John Walkden
its just an opinion.
.
by ynot
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