I just received the following message. It is most interesting and I
wanted to share it with all. Hopefully someone or archives will be able
to answer his question.
This is his address:
Greypanther <greypanther(a)sympatico.ca>
Ralph
.................................................................................................................
Good eveningMy name is George E. Cochrane, I live in Kingston, On.and am
a member of the Association in honour of my father who served in the
RCD's MG fhen later the CCBMGS. throughout WW1. I served for a short
while as a A/Lieut.under "Tiny" Walker prior to the outbreak of war in
August of 1939 when, in response to a request from Great Britain for
Canada to send a force of 60,000 men to dig ditches in Flanders/France
for the coming war, Walker had reformed the "Motors". I was then a horse
soldier rin the 1V Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, a militia unit. So
both myself and my father served under him. I guess that I was the first
Canadian serviceman to volunteer for overseas duty in WW2.Just a few
weeks later the RCD,s were mobilized. Around August 28, I think. I have
been preparing a biography on one of the RCD's who served in WW1. He
was the "Gat Howard" of the RCD,s in WW 1 Bill Walker was commissioned
into the RCD's on November 21, 1914, from the LSH, where was serving as
a Private. He served in the Machine Gun Troop , then commanded it as a
Captain in 1916. When the machine gun troops of the FGH, LSH, and the
RCD's were amalgamated into the Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun
Squadron, it was commanded by Major W.K. Walker,LSH, RCD, DSO MC MiD. My
father served in the same unit throughout the war. Just as the Great
German offensive commenced in March of 1918, Walker was promoted to
Lt/Col and C/O of the First Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade. He was
the second RCD to go "Armoured". The first being Sgt. then Major E.J.
Holland, VC. Holland had brought the Molson's Battery to France, It was
an armourd car unit formed in Montreal. When General Currie gave Walker
command of the Motors, Holland, who expected it, abruptly resigned his
commission and returned to Canada. He then obtained the postmastership
at Cobalt Ontaio. When Germany commenced their great offensive in March
of 1918, it was their last desperate attempt to win the war. They
quickly overran the troops of the British 5th. Army and the
French/Portuguese troops who were adjacent to them.They were within a
day or so march to the channel thus cutting the allied lines in two and
probably winning the war, At the request of the C/O of the 5th.Army, our
Gen.Currie sent his only reserves, the Canadian Cavalry Brigade and the
Machine Gun Sqn, of the 3rd. (Indian) Cavalry Division under command of
Brig/General John Seely and the "Motors" under command of Lt/Col.
Walker. The Cavalry Brigade met the German forces at Bois Moreuil, there
they fought hand to hand combat in the adjacent woods until they were
releived that evening by British cavalry. They then fought another hand
to hand combat the following day at nearby Rifle Woods. In the meantime,
in one of the first armoured actions in warfare the"Motors" were
machine gunning the advancing German troops on the roadways. At one
time Walker and the boys in the "Motors" were responsible for holding
over 2500 yards of the front. The communications were so poor that
Walker had no contact with the senior British Officers. He was in full
charge. The British government knew how desperate the situation had
become until they were were saved by the Canadian cavalry and the
"Motors." After the battle at Bois Moreuil, they immediately promoted
Seely to a Major General. They also gave him a title and seat in the
House of Lords. Seely immediately resigned his command and retired to
England. LtCol. Patterson of the FGH was promoted and took over
command of the Brigade. Most of the Officers of the brigade who fought
in the woods were given either the DSO or the MC. Many NCO's and
troopers were awarded medals. After a hassle, Walker's boys were also
awarded deserved medals. Walker receiving another DSO. That summer, we
began our offensive, with the Canadians entering Mons on November 11,
1918. This was where a Trooper of the 4th.(Irish) Dragoon Guards fired
the first British shot of the war on August 14, 1914. Being overwhelmed,
British cavalry ,infantry and artillery fought a rearguard action but
were being pushed back towards the channel. They fought the 1st. and 2nd
Battle of Ypres,the 2nd battle on April 22 and 23, 1915 . Canadians, in
the first action for most of them, releived the overtired exhausted
British troops and held the line, in spite of the first German gas
attack. Our boys were not equipped with gas masks. A great many died
from its effects. So, on November 11, 1918, Canadian forces entered Mons
Belgium. A victory parade was held with Lt/Colonel W.K. Walker RCD CMGC
DSO + Bar MC MiD (2) CdeG (Fr) with his armoured cars proudly forming
one of the leading elements. General Arthur Currie took the salute.A
proud day for the Canadian forces. Lt/Col. W.K. Walker RCD CMGC DSO+BAR
MC MiD (2) CdeG (Fr) rose in rank from Private to Lt.Col in just 40
months. My question to you is: Do you have any information on Bill
Walker? Is his name mentioned in the history of the RCD,s?