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Question about an army chaplain and QAIMNS nurse in China in 1913


trajan

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As is the way of the world, once family to get to know of a relative's interest in WW1, then - no matter how distant the relative - the enquiries come in... In this case, grandparents of a relative through marriage.

He, the Rev. F.J. (Francis Joseph) Walker BD, [R]AChD, serving as Asst. Chaplain-General, Eastern Command, in Malta, when he retired in August 1926 after - I understand - 21 years service (so commissioned in 1905?). She, Katherine (Kitty) Elizabeth Hearn, QAIMNS (I was told QARANS). They met on the boat going out to China (no date for that) and married in China (at ?Tientsin), on 9th October 1913. A pair of flagons presented to him to celebrate the marriage are inscribed: "From the Officers 124th D.C.O. BAL. INFY."

I guess that I might be able to find (with help!) his service records (how do you search officers? any hints? only done PBI on FMP and Ancestry!). And a quick Google has revealed "The Reverend Francis Joseph Walker MA BD Royal Army Chaplains' Department, Assistant Chaplain General, Eastern Command" under "1926 Birthday Honours" at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_Birthday_Honours

OK, so I understand (thanks to the internet!) that Tientsin was under European control at the time - but any help with who the 124th D.C.O. BAL. INFY. were? And I would especially like a pointer as to how to track down any service records and relevant MI cards...

Trajan

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Hi Trajan

Would it be The 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry, one of the old regiments of the Indian Army.

John

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124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/124th_Baluchistan_Infantry) an Indian Army unit. Given he was still serving in 1926 his records will still be held by MOD. As he married he was presumably not an RC chaplain. If he were Anglican (originally specifically Church in Ireland judging by http://www.stevebidmead.webspace.virginmedia.com/Army,%20Navy%20AND%20AIR%20FORCE%20Chaplains.htm which states he was ordained in Dublin) he should be listed in Crockford which if you can find annual issues from 1905 to 1926 should give outline details of his career, and will probably still list him in retirement too. His intial commission and promotions should also appear in the London Gazette as for any officer.

The Museum of Army Chaplaincy at Amport may be able to supply more information, particularly as Walker was quite a senior chaplain, see http://www.chaplains-museum.co.uk/contact.

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Good heaven's above - John and David - that's an interesting possibility! Thanks!

David - yours came in as I was originally submitting this - thanks for the clues and help and advice.

Trajan

PS: John, my first ever dig was at Caldwall Castle in 1964...!

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She was Katherine Elizabeth Hearn, born 29 December 1880.

Father a Bank Manager for the National Provincial Bank

Educated Burton-on-Trent Girls' High School and Cambridge House School, Malvern Wells

Trained as a nurse at the Royal Hospital, Sheffield between April 1904 and April 1907 (not to be confused with Sheffield Royal Infirmary - different hospitals)

Appointed as a Staff Nurse, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, 2nd July 1907.

Resigned 1913 to be married.

Sue

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She was Katherine Elizabeth Hearn, born 29 December 1880. ... Trained as a nurse at the Royal Hospital, Sheffield between April 1904 and April 1907 (not to be confused with Sheffield Royal Infirmary - different hospitals) ...

Sue, many many thanks! Talk about going around in circles... Her granddaughter and great-grandaughter - one born on York, other in Durham, both live now in... Sheffield

Also many many thanks there JP! The death date was said to be 1932 or 1933.

Julian

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He was appointed Army Chaplain, 4th Class, on 21.4.1907

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28130/page/3036

Edit to add:-

Promoted to Chaplain 3rd Class on 21.4.1917

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30028/page/3759

Promoted to Chaplain 2nd Class on 1.1.1919

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31092/supplement/17

Promoted to Chaplain 1st Class on 1.1.1925

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33008/page/55

Mentioned in despatches

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29890/supplement/252

C.B.E. 5.6.1926

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33179/supplement/4407

Retired 3.2.1928

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33353/page/764

Katherine Elizabeth Hearn was a Staff Nurse, Q.A.I.M.N.S., she resigned on 26.10.1913.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28768/page/7522

Edit to add:-

Katherine Elizabeth Hearn was provisionally appointed as a Staff Nurse, Q.A.I.M.N.S., on 2.7.1907

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28042/page/4943

and confirmed in her position February 1908

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28107/page/895

Edit to add:-

Rev. F. J. Walker served as an Assistant to the Deputy Chaplain General

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29984/supplement/2609

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30509/supplement/1639

and was appointed Assistant Chaplain General 1.1.1925

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33034/page/2202

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  • 2 weeks later...

he was Mentioned in Despatches on 4/1/17.

He was appointed Army Chaplain, 4th Class, on 21.4.1907 ...

Many thanks both, and especially Harry. Sorry for the very late acknowledgement, something called the demands of work intervened... :(

But I did contact the Museum of Army Chaplaincy as suggested by David and their curator very very kindly provided much information, some of it repeating what you GWF members have very kindly contributed above, some of it new - and one piece with a mistake regarding the wife's name! There you go!

Out of interest, thanks to the reference to the CBE and trio supplied here I checked with F.J.Walker's granddaughter and she may have all of the medals - CBE and trio: apparently she picked up a whole load from a drawer on her mother's death thinking that they all belonged to her own father and she never checked them out...

Many thanks, one and all, once again, for this sterling help! With all the highly informative leads provided here perhaps I can encourage that part of the family to do some more digging, especially on the nurse!

Julian

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  • 4 weeks later...

It is very interesting to read these posts about my maternal Grandparents - thank you also for the research advice and links. I have quite a lot of items, documents, certificates and dozens of photos inherited through my mother who died a couple of years ago. These are mainly from the Hearn side (Isle of Wight originally, then Bournemouth and Burton) and including items from KEWs unmarried sisters - of which two were WW1 QAs. There is less from the Walkers (Hillsborough Co Down), but I do have FJ Walker's photo album (two snaps of Trinity College, Dublin), their wedding in Tientsin, honeymoon in Japan and post-war in Malta and his medals (the trio, MiD and CBE with the original purple and scarlet ribbon). Trajan, I see you have been in touch with my cousin in Sheffield and you may have all you were looking for, but do get in touch if you would like know more. Either my brother or I still have the engraved flagons from the Baluch Regiment (124th) and a salver to mark their shipboard engagement signed by all the passengers on the 'Rohilla'!

For this site, KEW's youngest sister Lena Walker might also be of interest. She was a QA in 6 Station Hospital, Northern France (I have some photos, lots of postcards and a letter of thanks from a VC she nursed). Sadly, she died soon after the war from the effect of over exposure to early X-Rays - a horrible way for a radiography nurse to go.

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It is very interesting to read these posts about my maternal Grandparents - thank you also for the research advice and links. ...

Welcome to the GWForum, Editor1688! And thanks for the extra information - which at the very least means that your cousin can now stop wondering where FJWalker's medals might be! Funnily enough, though, I had always been somewhat doubtful on the 'meeting on a slow boat to China' story - but the salver confirms it! By the way, did you know that KEW travelled back to GB via the Orient Express in 1914 so that her and FJW's first child, a son, could be born there?

That aside, what a tragedy about Lena! I was aware that the Curie's suffered from their own experiments but had no idea that X-Ray machines were in use in Stationary hospitals in the GW.

Best,

Julian

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... I do have FJ Walker's photo album ...

Just out of interest Editor1688, on a subject close to my heart and to some others on GWF - do any of FJW's photographs show members of the German Seebatalione in China?

Julian

PS: I have also sent you a PM via GWF on other matters.

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I will re-examine the wedding photographs, but I don't think there are any German guests. A couple of Royal Marines including a Captain Basil Hill Royal Marine Artillery who was England rugby captain for a season and later President of the RFU. He transferred to the Army and, later, as a Maj Gen, was instrumental in the formation of the REME and RAOC (from the Army Service Corps) and was a close friend of FJW.

I thought I had replied on PM but it seems to have disappeared - obviously I am still a novice on this! I will try again.

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Hi All

1911 Census, Katherine is at McGregor Barracks, Stanhope Lines, Aldershot, trained sick nurse. Christian name incorrectly transcribed with a 'C', amendment submitted.

Regards Barry

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Thank you - that makes sense, I believe she was probably posted from Colchester (we have photo of military ward)to Aldershot, then to Hong Kong meeting FJW on the ship out to the Far East.

Regarding my earlier post, her sister Lena may well have been exposed to radiation in UK hospitals after the Great War, the photos I have of Lena in France show very primitive living conditions (winter in tents then later huts) and it seems unlikely that the wards or operating theatres were much better. Some publicity postcards of new hospital trains that might be of interest to anyone researching medical matters.

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Trajan, the only reference I have found to Germans in Tientsin is a snap of the German Memorial - similar to others online. Julian

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  • 2 years later...

FJ Walker was the youngest son of William and Margaret Walker, manager of Hillsborough Gas Works, County Down - see entry 239 on the link below for his birth certificate of 1876.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1876/03073/2126500.pdf

William Walker's Father was John Walker, a farmer from Carnreagh (outskirts of Hillsborough). FJW is named (in short) on the attached census as a divinity student.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000747678/

John Walker, grandfather of FJ Walker is also my great, great, great Grandfather. I am descended from William's younger brother Henry, who moved to Belfast where he was a saddler in the days horses ruled the streets. I am not a Walker, but my Mother was before she married my Father and I have been researching the Walkers of Hillsborough for some time now, having visited the area with my Mother to see what we could discover.

 FJ Walker is acknowledged for WWI (as Frank) on a memorial inside St Malachys Church of Ireland, Hillsborough.

http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/down/photos/tombstones/down-st-malachy-mem/target22.html

If you click on the link and can see the image you will also see the name Lieut Claude A L Walker. He was the nephew of FJ Walker, whose older brother Robert, Rector for St Matthews Church Belfast for many years was Claude's Father. Claude is buried in France having died at the Somme on 11th July, 1916.

 Of huge interest to me in the posts above was the reference to FJW being close to the to one of the REME founders. The youngest son of his brother Robert, William Robert Gordon Walker, was a soldier in the Royal Engineers. He was awarded a DSO for action clearing minefields during the (second) Battle of El Alamein, WWII - his DSO recommendation is signed by General Montgomery. I have a copy from Kew records office. I am now wondering if William's uncle FJW had a hand in him joining the RE?

 

 Finally, sorry I am so late to this forum but I have been trying to find out about FJW as after he moved to England I found him difficult to trace until I tripped across this site. I saw he was based at Tidsworth Barracks, Andover during the 1911 census. After that I had nothing until a Will notification in a Bedford newspaper for 1933. Did he pass away in 1933? Therefore my delight to have the information above. For the Walkers of Hillsborough I can furnish you with more data, so if you wish to know more please let me know.

 

 Regards and Best Wishes to all,

 Gary.

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On 22/03/2019 at 23:20, Gustawind said:

FJ Walker was the youngest son of William and Margaret Walker, manager of Hillsborough Gas Works, County Down - see entry 239 on the link below for his birth certificate of 1876. ... The youngest son of his brother Robert, William Robert Gordon Walker, was a soldier in the Royal Engineers. He was awarded a DSO for action clearing minefields during the (second) Battle of El Alamein, WWII - his DSO recommendation is signed by General Montgomery. I have a copy from Kew records office. I am now wondering if William's uncle FJW had a hand in him joining the RE?

 

 

On 02/05/2016 at 00:46, Editor1688 said:

Trajan, the only reference I have found to Germans in Tientsin is a snap of the German Memorial - similar to others online. Julian

 

Hi Gary,

 

That's a lot of useful stuff there and I have forward the information to the granddaughter and great granddaughter of F.J. (Francis Joseph) Walker, and have also alerted Editor 1688 as a one of the great grandsons, and who has FJW's medals. All very fascinating stuff and much appreciated. The Irish connection was known off, but not quite how well known I think!  Oddly enough - but perhaps not so really is - is that FJW's son, Richard H. Walker, was also in the RE as a professional in WW2, as was - if I understand it correctly - his cousin William Robert Gordon Walker.

 

Trajan

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Whoops, brain not quite in gear there in that last post... Editor1688 is a greatnephew....!

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Hi Trajan,

                 Many thanks for the update and adding together Richard H. and William RG were cousins in the Royal Engineers. For myself, I am delighted for the data on the posts above as FJW was basically the last of the Walkers from his Grandfather (my great, great, great Grandfather) coming forwards I required data on for the Family Tree, as after he left for England from Ireland I struggled to find information. Boy do I now have enough now. I hope FJW's relatives find the data useful, and I do have much more but will send you a Personal Message to discuss.

 

 Regards and Best Wishes.

 Gary.

 

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Gary,

 

Thank you (and everyone else) for all your information and for  your offer to share your family tree  - I am actually one of FJ Walker's four surviving grandchildren (he was my mother's father) and I have some family items including a Bible with the names of and dates of birth of children written on a fly-leaf. This was inherited from my mother who died in 2013 aged 95.   I will try to relate this to the information you have provided with and would be very happy to share.

 

As we have moved away a bit from the WW1 focus of this forum perhaps we could speak direct. You might have to advise me how to use PM as I failed last time!

 

Best Wishes

Julian (but not the same Julian as Trajan!)

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Well, all the information supplied has been of great help and interest, Gary. So thanks! A somewhat sobering piece of information was to learn of Claude Walker, who died at the Somme 1st July, 1916...

 

Julian

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Yes Julian, the demise of Claude Walker is sobering information; and he one of so many.

 I am happy the information was of help. It has been my delight to have someone to share it with!!!

With FJW being the last Walker from the descendants of John Walker I required information on, I

must thank you for the posts which I discovered here at Great War Forum.

 

Regards and Best Wishes,

Gary.

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