Maxsparky Posted 1 November , 2014 Share Posted 1 November , 2014 I have been unable to identify a 'W Walker' whose name is inscribed on Rathfriland War Memorial in Co Down. The memorial was not erected until 1956. Contact with the local RBL has been unsuccessful as they have no records either. I have not been able to ID this person and would welcome any help or assistance in establishing his identity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxsparky Posted 21 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2018 Just bringing this topic to the front for more help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 21 May , 2018 Share Posted 21 May , 2018 Maybe. https://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/610072/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickLeeds Posted 21 May , 2018 Share Posted 21 May , 2018 (edited) Photo of the above soldier. Larne Times 11 November 1916 Mick. Edited 21 May , 2018 by MickLeeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxsparky Posted 6 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2019 Thanks for replies, unfortunately this is not my relative. Bit of a brick wall. Oral history passed down through family that he died in war, but no records to show. His wife died in the 1918 flu epidemic and his two children only 9 and 6 by 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy mcclimonds Posted 6 July , 2019 Share Posted 6 July , 2019 Is this him in the 1911 census and if so what was the name of his other child - http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Rathfryland/Cross/258493/ Regards, Tommy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 6 July , 2019 Share Posted 6 July , 2019 2 hours ago, Maxsparky said: unfortunately this is not my relative. Bit of a brick wall. Oral history passed down through family that he died in war, but no records to show. His wife died in the 1918 flu epidemic and his two children only 9 and 6 by 1918. It would be helpful if you gave us what you know about him. Full name, date of birth, wife's name, her maiden name, addresses, 1911 and 1901 census Otherwise with a common name like W Walker, it is all guesswork by us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxsparky Posted 6 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2019 William Alexander Walker born 12 Apr 1890,Tullylish, Co Down in 1901 census at Tullylish. 1911 Census at Cross, Rathfriland married Eliza Jane Bell 1908 at Hilltown, Co Down. Two Sons William James born 1909, David Henry born 1911. Wife dies 11 Dec 1918 from Spanish Flu Epidemic, her father Henry Bell was present at her death. Can find no obvious record of William Alex from 1911 onwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 7 July , 2019 Share Posted 7 July , 2019 OK, As I understand it, you do not know when William Alexander Walker died and are trying to establish if it is him on the Rathfriland War Memorial. Is that correct? There is a Family Tree on Ancestry, without a death - click for Ancestry tree - that I assume you are aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipman Posted 7 July , 2019 Share Posted 7 July , 2019 There's a will for a William Walker but not convinced it's your man. Worth checking to rule out. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 7 July , 2019 Share Posted 7 July , 2019 No, that is the will for the man in post #4, that the OP has ruled out As I understand it now on William Alexander Walker 1. His life can be followed in detail up to and including the 1911 census 2. After that there is no record of him 3. There is a reasonable chance that he is on the Rathfriland War Memorial as "W Walker" which would probably mean he served as W Walker rather than W A Walker 4. Equally well he could have done a runner between 1911 and 1920 (say). I cannot see him on shipping records 5. If he died in Northern Ireland after 1922 then you would need to search the PRONI records, which I do not find very user friendly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 7 July , 2019 Share Posted 7 July , 2019 There is a long thread on Rootschat - click for thread - which I will not repeat the work, apart from this advice that was posted in that thread Keep in mind that if the father had disappeared when the children were young (for whatever reason) the son might list him as deceased even if he didn't actually know that the father had died. (and the same thing applies to his wife's death cert) Having spent a few hours on this poser, and looked at all the work that has been done, I feel that the most likely thing is that he just left the family and started a new life somewhere else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxsparky Posted 8 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2019 Thanks for the help. He had 4 brothers who served during the war and survived. David, RASC, 30890, Robert James, Irish Guards, 3436, Victor Enoch, 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, 16436 and Samuel Joseph, 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, 16421, became POW. William Alex has been a bit of a mystery. His wife signed the Ulster Covenant in Rathfriland in 1912, but I never came across his signature? The search continues....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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