Sub Lieut Cecil James Walker, R.A.N.R.

[melliget]

I came across a NSW newspaper article reporting the accidental death of Cecil James Walker on 30 July 1920 at Coff's Harbour, NSW. He was a Sub Lieutenant in the RANR and during the war was lent to the Military, serving as a Captain. From the Navy Lists, he seems to have reverted to the RANR on his return. What I can't workout is whether he was still technically with the RANR when he died. The newspaper report makes it sound like he was a civilian but the Navy Lists suggest otherwise and I can't see anything definitive on his RANR record one way or the other. Any thoughts? See info below. Maybe it's just a case where the paperwork hadn't caught up with his changed circumstances.

regards,

Martin

Northern Star (Lismore), Mon 2 Aug 1920, p.4

http://trove.nla.gov...rticle/93046932

FATALITY AT COFF'S HARBOR

An accident with fatal results occurred at Coff's Harbor jetty to Mr. C. J. Walker, the first mate of the steamer Belbowrie, while superintending the loading of timber. While

a log was being swung on board the steamer lurched owing to the heavy sea, and the deceased was caught between the logs. Death was almost instantaneous. Deceased was a married man, his wife and one one son residing at Neutral Bay. Mr Walker had four years' active service, two as a lieutenant in the navy, and two as a captain in the land forces. He had only been on the ship for five weeks. An inquest was held, and a verdict of accidental death was returned. Coff's jetty is one the busiest timber loading centres on the coast, and this is the first fatal accident that has occurred there.- Exchange.

Note: Above article says death was "almost instantaneous" but RANR service record says he died 3 days after the accident.

Navy List October 1918

CITIZEN NAVAL FORCES - ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL RESERVE (SEAGOING)

SUB-LIEUTENANTS

Walker, Cecil James, 20.3.07 (Date of Seniority), Lent to Military

Navy List October 1919

CITIZEN NAVAL FORCES - ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL RESERVE (SEAGOING)

SUB-LIEUTENANTS

Walker, Cecil James, 20.3.07

Ditto for Navy List April 1921

Ditto for Navy List July 1921

Navy List October 1921

Removals From List During Quarter

Citizen Naval Forces

Sub-Lieutenant R.A.N.R., Cecil J. Walker, Deceased

Note: He appears on page 65 headed Removals from List During Quarter. There are 3 sections: Permanent Naval Forces, Retired List, and Citizen Naval Forces. Cecil Walker is listed in the last section (not retired).

R.A.N.R. service record:

Sub-Lieut. Cecil James WALKER

http://recordsearch....e.asp?B=5220006

Died 30.7.20.

In Remarks on p3, says:

"Lent to Military

Forces 24.9.15.

Died from

injuries accidentally

received 27/7/20

???? (recd?) (vide?) copy of

Death Certificate

(21/8003)"

AIF service record:

http://recordsearch....e.asp?B=3004279

24.4.19 Struck off Strength

4.9.19 Appointment terminated

First World War Embarkation Roll (AWM):

8th Infantry Brigade, 30th Infantry Battalion

"A" COMPANY

Walker, Cecil James, Lieutenant, 38, Master mariner (Trade or Calling), 8.8.15 (Date of Joining)

First World War Nominal Roll (AWM):

Capt WALKER, Cecil James, 30th Battalion, R.T.A. 27.4.19

Two docs in NAA series CP979/2 (Applications for War Gratuity made to the Department of the Navy).

His death is registered in NSW.

[melliget]

I just noticed that it was the October 1921 Navy List where he first shows up as deceased, not the 1920 one. That's over a year after his death.

[frev]

Hi Martin

I can't be much help - because I don't know how the Naval Reserve works - but it seems a little strange to me that he would be working on a civilian logging steamer, if he was still in the Navy??

What I can tell you however, is that while doing a little more digging (so as to add him to my Accidental Deaths DB), I found that he didn't die on the 30/7/1920. That was the date he was buried. The date of the 27th in his naval record is probably the most likely (as both the accident & his death), Wed 28th at the very latest, as per the following:

Northern Star (Lismore, NSW), Thur 29 Jul 1920:

CRUSHED TO DEATH

GRAFTON, Wednesday – C.J. Walker, first officer of the steamer Belbowrie, was crushed to death between two logs while superintending the loading of timber at Coff’s Harbour.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/93046537

The Sydney Morning Herald, Thur 29 Jul 1920:

DEATHS

WALKER – Accidentally killed at Coff’s Harbour, Cecil J (late Capt, 5^th Pioneers, AIF), beloved husband of Ida Florence Walker, Eaglemere, Shellcove-road, Neutral Bay.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15899613

The Sydney Morning Herald, Thur 29 Jul 1920:

FUNERALS

WALKER – The Funeral of the late CAPTAIN CECIL JAMES WALKER, late of A.I.F. and S.S. Belbowrie, will leave Wood, Coffill’s Mortuary Chapel, 810 George-street, city, TO-MORROW (Friday) AFTERNOON, at 2.30 o’clock, for Waverley Cemetery, per Motor Service.

WALKER – The Relatives and Friends of Mrs IDA FLORENCE WALKER are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of her late dearly beloved HUSBAND, Cecil James; to leave Wood, Coffill’s Mortuary Chapel, TO-MORROW (Friday) AFTERNOON, at 2.30pm, for Waverley Cemetery, per Motor Service.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1248227

Cheers, Frev

[melliget]

Thanks very much, Frev. That explains the anomaly between the newspaper report saying he died virtually instantly and his RANR service record saying 3 days.

Yes, from the description of the article reporting his death, it does sound like he was a civilian. But he was on the Navy lists post-war, which suggests he did revert to the RANR. He's also listed in the Seagoing list, not the Unattached list, so he seems to have been actively deployed. Whether he had just resigned (the article says he was on Belbowrie for just 5 weeks) or whether on leave, I'm not sure. Details on his RANR record are frustratingly sparse (I've seen RAN records that are crammed full of details). When I got mixed up and thought it was the 1920 Oct Navy List where his death was recorded, that appeared to strengthen the case. But the fact that the navy only caught up with his death over a year later doesn't help. I might order the Application for War Gratuity documents. I notice that one was submitted by his wife, presumably after his death.

Thanks.

Martin

[melliget]

Looked him up on Ancestry and it has an entry for him in the NSW Registers of Coroners' Inquests. Not a great deal of info though, unfortunately, and no column for occupation or similar. The inquest was held 27 July in the Coff's Harbour court house (A. H. Parkes was the coroner/magistrate).