WALKER Vernon Dudley 2/Lt

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Surname: WALKER;

Forename(s): Vernon Dudley;

Initials: VD;

Rank: 2/Lt;

Born in: Dundee;

Resided in: South Woodford;

Previous Number: PS/1427;

Previous Battalion: 23 of;

Previous Regiment: R Fus;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 34 Bn;

Date abroad: 16-Nov-1915;

Theatre of War: 1;

Awarded: DSO, MM, MID;

Gallantry Notes: DSO Citation: During the attack near Menin on the 14th October 1918 he went forward with the leading wave, and despite heavy artillery and machine gun fire pushed boldly forward to his objective. Although isolated from the infantry he succeeded in capturing a field gun with the officer and personnel. Previously, he entered a trench and caused twenty-seven of the enemy to surrender. For two hours he maintained his position until the infantry came up, and then moved forward with them. Throughout, he displayed great courage and initiative.;

Other Data: Who's Who 1943: DSO 1918. Dental Surgeon,LDS,RCS. Liaison Officer Dist Dental War Cyye. Lt Col Cdg 54 Essex Bn Home Guard. B. Dundee 16/1/1894, son of PS Walker, Dental Surgeon, Dundee. Married 1935 Lily Catherine Mary Starace. Educ: Edinburgh, Harris Academy, Dundee. Sportsmans Bn & MGC (MM 1916) MID x 2, DSO. London Medical Coll LDS, RCS 1923. Address: Woodbury, Woodford Rd, South Woodford.

Medal Group offered by Liverpool Medals Jan 2015:
Distinguished Service Order (GV), Military Medal (GV), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal.

Second Lieutenant Vernon Dudley Walker DSO MM, 23rd Sportsmen’s Battalion Royal Fusiliers & 34th Battalion Machine Gun Corps.

A fantastic and extremely rare triple gallantry grouping, one of only 19 combinations of the DSO & MM to be awarded during WW1, To a fearless natural born soldier who in such a short time during the war rose up from an enlisted Private to a commissioned Lieutenant, performing many gallant deeds along the way, including taking command of the Machine Gun Brigade of the 23rd Battalion when all his officers had been killed in action at Delville Wood, as only a Corporal and leading out the last surviving 6 men of his section.
His exploits leading to the D.S.O. are nothing short of Victoria Cross worthy, after climbing out trench, under heavy artillery and machine gun fire, marching completely isolated from the infantry, single handily taking prisoner a Machine Gun Officer and his personnel, then entering a trench taking 27 of the enemy prisoner.

He was born in Islington, London on 16th January 1893. In September 1914, 21 year old Vernon Dudley Walker presented himself at the Hotel Cecil in the Strand, London.
His purpose was to enlist in the “Sportsmen’s” Battalion of The Royal Fusiliers. He was duly accepted into the battalion sponsored by Mrs Emma Cunliffe-Owen.

He was no longer a civilian, he was now SPTS-1427 Private, Royal Fusiliers.

He proceeded overseas on 16th November, 1915 and on the 26th July found himself on the Somme at Delville Wood.

On the 27th July the Battalion was in action in the vicinity of “Campbell Street” and “Princess Street”. Walker was assigned to the 99th Brigade Machine Gun Section as a Corporal. The fighting that occurred in the wood was intense, brutal and was the last for many brave men, his section was virtually all wiped out in the fighting. He held his position strong even though he himself was Badly Wounded, throughout the action until ordered to finally retire. When he reported back to Brigade HQ he was asked what he was doing there, in place of his commanding officer, he replied that he believed he had the honour of commanding the Brigade Machine Gun Section, he brought out only 6 survivors.

The following extract is from the Regimental History of the 23rd Bn R. Fus.

“During the night our Brigadier came up and held a conference in our shell-hole. One of our men, Corporal Walker, who was attached to the Brigade Machine Gun Company, came to this conference, and when asked by the Brigadier what he wanted, replied “I have reason to believe, sir, I now command the Machine Gun Company.”
This was actually the case, and he brought the remnants out, being badly wounded in doing so.”

Walker was Commissioned into the MGC on 19th December 1917 and was posted to the 34th Battalion Machine Gun Corps upon its formation in February 1918.

The MGC during the war gained an enviable record for heroism as a front line fighting force. As the tactics advanced late into the war to Defence in Depth, It commonly served well in advance of the front line. They had many casualties, even earning the nickname ‘the Suicide Club’, The fearless and now commissioned Lieutenant Walker seemed a perfect fit in the corps.

The 34th Battalion were involved in many engagements during the final year of the war.
They started in March being involved in the Battle of St. Quentin, then Eastaires, Bailleul, the 1st Battle of Kemmel Ridge.
Then after being reconstituted in July 1918, the Battle of the Soissonais and the Ourcq, Capture of Bergneux Ridge, The Battle of Ypres.

Then came the Battle of Courtrai, lasting from the 14th to the 19th of October 1918. During this battle Lieut Walker particularly distinguished himself.
The Offensive began at 5:35 AM on 14th October, with an attack by the Groupe d’Armees des Flandres from the Lys River at Comines northwards to Dixmunde. The British Creeping barrage advanced at a rate of 100 yards per minute, much faster and much further than the practice in 1917, in expectation that there would be little resistance from German infantry.
By the Evening the British forces had reached high ground which dominationg Werviq, Menin and Wevelghem.
It was during the fighting at Menin where Lieut Walker earned the DSO.

“During the attack near Menin on the 14th October 1918, he went forward with the leading wave and, despite heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, pushed boldly forward to his objective. Although isolated from the infantry, he succeeded in capturing a field gun with the Officer and his personnel, Previously, he entered a trench and caused twenty-seven of the enemy to surrender. For two hours he maintained his position until the infantry came up, and then moved forward with them. Throughout he displayed great courage and initiative.”

On the day of his Gallantry, there were five awards of the Victoria Cross on the western front.

It is highly unusual for a Junior Officer such as Temp 2nd Lieut Walker to earn the medal second only to the VC, it is generally acknowledged that awards of the DSO such as this were originally recommendations for the Victoria Cross which were downgraded, seeing as their were 5 other VCs won that day, it is possible he could of been one as the Government may not have wished to issue too many for one day.

This group also comes with some very interesting original photographs and papers, including his Original DSO Certificate, an original page from his personal notebook, the telegraph for his DSO nomination, an original army orders for the 34th Division, dated 25/12/1918, An Original Army order, showing his immediate award of the DSO, an original list of officers from the Machine Gun School to proceed back to war, original slip showing the various actions the 23rd were involved in, 3 hand-written correspondence letters from old comrades, Various original photographs including one of him wearing the MM ribbon circa October 1916, one with his comrades in training 1915, A Portrait as an officer in 1918, a postcard sent home by Walker of the Camp at Hornchurch for the 23rd and 24th battalions, a photo with some other men, likely wounded and recovering, Walker holding himself up with a crutch, another with his men not in combat uniform with a nurse.

Medals are all in unworn condition, centre of DSO is slightly loose and one correction to initials on BWM, likely a spelling error, also with original as worn ribbon bar of DSO, MM & 1914 Star as we wore it during the war. £5995;

Other Notes: DSO: LG 8/3/1919 (4/10/1919) T/2Lt MM
MM LG: 21/10/1916 (23 RF attd 99 Coy MGC)
MID: LG 10/7/1919 T/2Lt, DSO, MM;

END OF RECORD.

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