GEORGE STANLEY WALKER
15 September 1898 - 23 October 1918
At School 1907 - 1915
2nd Lieut 20th Manchester Regt
George was born in Manchester and in 1901, aged 2, was living at 142 Russell Street, Moss Side, with father Arthur, a warehouseman, mother Rebecca and older sisters Doris and Edna. By 1911, the family had moved to "Belmont", 6 Spring Bridge Road, Alexandra Park, Manchester, with the addition of younger brother Albert and one domestic servant. Arthur was now described as a Traveller for a Manufacturer of Cotton Piece Goods and George was at School, a short walk away. Unfortunately oldest sister Doris had passed away in 1906, aged 11.
He was at the School from September, 1907, to July, 1915, and was on the first cricket and football teams in 1915. He was also an excellent musician, playing the pianoforte and organ, and showing much promise, and after leaving School played for the Whalley Range Cricket Team.
In April 1917, George joined the Lancashire Fusiliers but there is no record of any overseas service and he is noted in the Hulmeian Magazine of that month as having joined a Training Reserve Battalion. On 26 June 1918 George obtained a commission in the Manchester Regiment, the London Gazette advertising his promotion from Cadet to temporary 2nd Lieutenant. George was posted to the 20th Battalion Manchester Regiment arriving in a batch of 5 reinforcement officers on 13 October 1918. The Battalion had returned to France from Italy in late September and after a week of duty in the front line, in the advance towards Le Cateau, was resting and refitting at Elincourt, a village to the east of the midpoint of the Cambrai - St Quentin Road. The Battalion stayed in Elincourt, training, until 18 October when it marched North East to Maurois via Maretz to continue the advance past Le Cateau. The following day the Battalion moved at

4.00 a.m. via Honnechy to fields west of St Benin. At 7.00 a.m. orders were received to proceed to ground in the North East corner of Square 22 below. Here a halt was made for meals. At 4.10 p.m. the Battalion moved off to relieve the Scottish Horse in the front line in Squares 6 and 1,

South East of Le Cateau slightly North of the Le Cateau - Bazuel road. Battalion HQ and B Company in reserve dug into the bank on the road in Square 11. On 20 October, in conjunction with the 21st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, an attack was made, under a creeping barrage, by one platoon with the objective being the line of the Richemont Stream from Moulin St Jacques south to the Mill in Square 2. Due to heavy machine gun fire from the left and front the platoon could make no progress after about 150 yards and after many casualties, the attack failed. The next two days were fairly quiet with a certain amount of shelling around Battalion HQ and the railway cutting but with few casualties. On 23 October the Battalion attacked towards the village of Pommereuil and the following is extracted from the War Diary narrative of events:

"At 0120 hours the Battalion, in conjunction with the remainder of the 7th Brigade and with the 18th division on the left attacked under a barrage. The front stretched from the Moulin du Garde in the North, following the left bank of the Richemont Stream southwards to Square 1, the objective being to advance beyond Pommereuil. Compass bearings had been taken to assist in the maintenance of direction. The attack was carried out on a two Company frontage with one Company in reserve. Thirty other ranks were detailed to assist the Royal Engineers in bridging the Richemont Stream on the portion to be crossed by the Battalion. Owing to the darkness, mist and smoke fumes from the shells, it was impossible to see the progress of the attack. The Officer i/c the bridging party reported on his return after completing the bridging, that our men were well over the stream, and had not waited for the bridges, but had pushed on, wading through the stream. For some considerable time after zero hour no authentic news could be obtained concerning the attack. Runners coming back had been knocked out and signal communication, even by lamp, was an impossibility owing to the smoke. Wounded coming back reported our men well ahead, (one wounded signaller at 0300 reported that his Company were entering the village of Pommereuil when he was hit). This was confirmed later by the O.C. left Company returning wounded. He had been hit when with his Company in Pommereuil. There was still a considerable amount of rifle and machine gun fire coming from Square 31 and Garde Mill remained in the hands of the enemy at 0530 hours. Therefore the reserve Company was disposed along the original front on the Le Cateau - Bazuel Road ready to move forward and deal with pockets of the enemy who evidently remained. When day broke the reserve Company was ordered to work round in small parties around the Richemont Stream to clear up pockets of the enemy, who surrendered at once on finding themselves surrounded. Battalion HQ moved up to Pommereuil where the two Companies had consolidated and dug in on their objectives, having had severe casualties. The bulk of the casualties had occurred in the orchards in Square 32 central, the enemy being very strong in the hedges facing west". Meanwhile the 74th and 75th Infantry Brigades
had passed through and continued the attack. At 1000 hours the Battalion was withdrawn to billets in Pommereuil.
During the action, George was killed, likely his first experience of going "over the top" and in the words of his commanding officer, - "leading his men gallantly in an attack on a village in France".
George's body was recovered after the battle
and he was buried in Pommereuil British Cemetery, Grave E 3, next to 2nd Lieut A Hulme who had joined the Battalion at the same time as George, just 10 days previously.
The Cemetery was made by the 25th Division after the capture of the village and is on the south side of the road from Le Cateau to Pommereuil at the top left corner of Square 32. It originally contained a wooden memorial to the 20th Manchesters, who erected it to their officers and men who fell on 23 October.
Old Hulmeians and the War, July 1919
"On Ascension Day evening, (29 May 1919), a tablet in memory of the late 2nd Lieut G S Walker, Manchester Regiment, killed in action on October 23rd last was unveiled at St James' Church, Moss Side, by the rector. The Head Master took part in the service, and a detachment from the School Corps was present under the command of Cadet Capt. J A Barber."