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SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
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"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
38178 Private PARKER WALKER.
9th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.
Killed in action, age 31, on the 19th of April 1917.
Born at Skelton in Cleveland. Enlisted at Brotton, N Yorks.
Son of John and Eliza Walker, of 3 East Terrace, Skelton-in-Cleveland, N Yorks.
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Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Ypres, Belgium.
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FAMILY:-
1901. Parker Walker, aged 15, is living at 2 Woods Yard, Skelton, where he was born.
His father, John, aged 37, works as an Ironstone Miner. He was born at Cropton, N Yorks.
His mother, Eliza, aged 37, was born in Skelton. By 1911 she has had 7 children and all are living.
Parker had three younger sisters at this time - Sarah 13, Ethel 12 and Alice 4.
1911. Parker, now 25, is an Ironstone Miner. 4 more children have arrived - John 8, George 6, William 4 and Earnest 2.
WAR SITUATION.
The 9th Battalion was attached to the 69th Brigade of the 23rd Division.
Parker's Medal Card shows that he was not awarded the 1914/15 Star and therefore did not join his Battalion in France until 1916 or later.
It is not know what action he may have been involved in prior to his death in April 1917.
The 23rd Division had taken part in the Battles of the Somme in 1916 and the next year was moved up to Ypres.
The Third Battle of Ypres would start in June 1917.
Parker Walker was killed in the day to day defence of the trenches of the Ypres Salient.
The Front shown on the map in June 1917 had changed little since June 1915, but was always a scene of constant attrition.
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MEMORIAL:-
Railway Dugouts Burial Ground is located 2 kilometres to the South East of Ypres and has nearly 2,500 burials from the First War.
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