James (Jimmie) Walker

The Battalion arrived at Marseilles on the 12/10/1914. At the time of James' death they formed the Highland Battalion with the 1st Seaforth Highlanders and were part of the 21st (Bareilly) Brigade, 7th (Meerhut) Division. This was due to heavy casualties from their arrival in Mesopotamia in December 1915. It was an enormous blow to British prestige and a morale-booster for the Ottoman Empire. In 1916 the Turks pursued the retreating 6th (Poona) Division to Kut, and soon surrounded and cut it off. British forces in Mesopotamia were now growing, the arrival of the experienced 3rd (Lahore), 7th (Meerut) and 13th (Western) Divisions bringing a significant increase in strength. These formations were ordered to advance north along the Tigris to relieve Kut. They ran into strong and stoutly defended lines and suffered some hard knocks. Although they got close to Kut, they failed to break through and relieve it and garrison there was surrendered on 29 April 1916. The Division were involved in the Siege of Kut-al-Amara (7th December 1915 - 29th April 1916). This included the efforts to relieve Kut : The Battle of Sheik Sa'ad (7th January 1916), The Battle of the Wadi (13th January 1916), The Battle of the Hanna (21st January 1916), The Attack on the Dujaila Redoubt (7th - 9th March 1916), The Battles of the Hanna and Fallahiyeh (5th - 8th April 1916) and The Battles of Bait Aisa and Sannaiyat (7th - 22nd April 1916). James was formerly with the Cameron Highlanders (21244). The Basra War Cemetery now contains 2,560 burials of the First World War, of which 76 are unidentified and 10 are non-commonwealth casualties (mostly Russian refugees). In addition, 6 casualties whose graves could not be found during the reburial phase were commemorated on special memorial headstones. However, in 1935 it was decided to remove all the headstones as the salty soil had caused them to substantially deteriorate. Instead, all the Commonwealth casualties were commemorated on a Memorial Screen Wall which was built in the same year. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 3, the CWGC Iraq Roll of Honour x 4, James' name in the CWGC Iraq Roll of Honour, his Headstone Report x 2, his name on the Memorial Screen Wall Panel List, James' Pension Records x 3. his previous Regiment the Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge and the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Cap Badge.