PRIVATE 33388 ROBERT SPINK WALKINGTON 1st BATTALION WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. DIED OF DISEASE 25th JUNE 1918 AGED 36 YEARS.


PRIVATE 33388 ROBERT SPINK WALKINGTON 1st BATTALION WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. DIED OF DISEASE 25th JUNE 1918 AGED 36 YEARS.

Just before the start of the war Robert Walkington had come to work as a gardener at Denton Hall. He certainly had plenty of experience to offer having previously worked in the grounds of Beningborough Hall and Castle Howard. Robert had been born in the little village of Newton on Ouse, near Easingwold, in 1882 the youngest of two son born to William and Jane Walkington.


In 1915 Robert had enlisted in the 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (1st Leeds Pals), although, he seems not to have gone to join the battalion until late 1916. He remained with the Leeds Pals until November 1917 when they were amalgamated with the 17th Battalion West Yorks (2nd Leeds Pals). Surplus to requirements he was transferred to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion which was used as a holding unit for men who would be transferred to other battalions. After the German Spring Offensive in March 1918 the Entrenching Battalions were disbanded and there men transferred back to front line units, which in Robert’s case was the 1st West Yorkshires. In early June the battalion was pulled out of the front line for retraining near to the town of St Omer. It was at this time that George was admitted to one of the base hospitals near to the port of Boulogne where sadly he died on the 25th June, although, it is not known what was the cause of his death.

Today, Private Robert Spink Walkington lies in the British Military Cemetery at Terincthun and is remembered with pride on our war memorial in Ilkley.

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