Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | September 27, 1897 |
Place of Birth | Carman, Manitoba |
Country | Canada |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Charlotte Walker, mother, Suite 29 Hampton Court, Langside Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba |
Trade / Calling | Clerk |
Religion | Methodist |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 216021 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 44th Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | Suite 9, Kilmarnock Block, Winnipeg, Manitoba |
Date of Enlistment | December 29, 1915 |
Age at Enlistment | 18 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | December 20, 1964 |
Age at Death | 67 |
Buried At | Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens, Winnipeg, Manitoba |
Plot | Last Supper 65 B1 |
Hugh Charles Walker was born on 27 September 1897 in Carman, Manitoba. His parents were William Walker and Charlotte Brown, both from Ontario. By the time of the birth of their first son William John in 1883, they were living in Carman where William Sr worked as a carpenter. Other children born in Carman were Thomas Henry (1886), James Milton (1888), Mabel Fern (1894), and Hugh. Around 1902 the family moved to Winnipeg where William worked as a salesman in a general store, the family also taking in a number of boarders. Sadly, William Jr died in 1909 and William Sr in 1913, both interred in Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg.
Hugh signed his attestation papers on 29 December 1915 in Winnipeg. His occupation was given as clerk, his mother Charlotte in Winnipeg as next of kin, and Active Militia as 100th Winnipeg Grenadiers. As a Private with the 100th Battalion, Hugh arrived in England on 25 September 1916 aboard the Olympic.
On 10 November 1916 Hugh was transferred to the Signalling Base at Seaford, returning to the 100th Battalion on 27 December. On 20 January 1917 he was transferred to the 11th Reserve Battalion and then on to the 14th Reserve Battalion by the end of the month. In late May 1917 he was struck of strength on proceeding overseas to the 44th Battalion, joining the unit on 5 June. The 44th Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 23 October 1915. It disembarked in France on 12 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.
In late July 1917 Hugh was sent to the Canadian Corps Signal School for five days and in late December he was awarded a Good Conduct Badge. In early March of 1918 he was granted a fourteen day leave to the UK, returning on the 18th. In early September Hugh sustained a gunshot/shrapnel wound to his shoulder and was admitted to the No 2 British Field Ambulance on the 5th followed by the No 10 Canadian Field Ambulance and the No 23 Casualty Clearing Station. Invalided to England, Hugh was admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital Napsbury, St Albans on the 9th. Transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital Woodcote Park in Epson later that month, he was discharged on 4 October. After going through a series of transfers in England, Hugh arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the Grampian on 24 December 1918. He was discharged from service on demobilization on 21 January 1919 in Winnipeg.
Hugh’s brother Thomas enlisted with the 144th Battalion on 4 January 1916 in Winnipeg and served as Acting Corporal with the Canadian Army Pay Corps in England. Along with his war bride Hilda Simes he returned to Canada in September of 1919.
At the time of the 1921 census Hugh was living in a suite in the Elaine Apartments in Winnipeg and working as a bookkeeper. On 7 May 1927, in Winnipeg, Hugh married Helen Catherine Sullivan. Born on 25 November 1900 in Winnipeg, Helen was the daughter of Harry Sullivan and Sarah Murray. Her parents had married in 1884 in London and immigrated to the United States in 1889 and then on to Canada in 1892. Helen’s father was heavily involved in athletic clubs as a trainer, including lacrosse, curling, and hockey teams in Winnipeg. In his younger years, Hugh was active in numerous sports including lacrosse and running.
Hugh and Helen gave birth to three children, Helen (1929), Hugh (1930), and Sally (1935). Sadly the two little girls died in infancy. Over the years Hugh worked for Burns and Company as a salesman/traveller. For a few years the family lived on 6th Street South in Kenora where Hugh joined the Kenora Branch of the Canadian Legion in 1939. A 1940’s Voters list for Kenora gave Hugh’s occupation as salesman. Returning to Winnipeg, Hugh retired as assistant sales manager for the company in 1950.
Hugh died on 20 December 1964 in Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Helen, son Hugh and his wife Lois, and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his father and brother William, his mother (1950), and siblings Thomas (1964), James, and Mabel (1931). Helen later died on 26 November 1983 at the St Norbert Nursing Home. Hugh and Helen are interred in Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens on the outskirts of Winnipeg.
By Judy Stockham
Hugh’s grave marker photograph courtesy of Ken, findagrave.com.