Cape Town (Rondebosch) War Memorial
South Africa
Photo : Derek Pratt, the Rector of St Paul's Church, Rondebosch
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The War Memorial in St. Paul's Churchyard, Rondebosch, includes one Officer of the Yorkshire Regiment amongst the names commemorated as having lost their lives in the First World War.
Lieutenant Herbert Parlby Walton
2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of J. Herbert and Ellen Walton, of 6, Grosvenor Flats, Links Rd., Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. Born at Headingley, Leeds. Killed 7 December 1917. Aged 26.Buried BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY.
Although the CWGC shows Lieutenant Walton as being in the 2nd Battalion, there is no mention of him in the 2nd Battalion War Diaries. He was originally in the 7th Battalion but he is not shown in the 7th Battalion War Diaries either.
The following notes on Lieutenant Walton were written by ( Robert Coulson in his biographies of Yorkshire Regiment Officers;– “Herbert Walton was born in Headingley, Leeds on February 2nd 1891. The family moved to South Africa where he served with the Rhodesian Regiment and was wounded in action during the occupation of German South West Africa in January of 1915.
Herbert Walton returned to the UK and received his commission on April 7th 1916, joining the 7th Battalion in France in June 1916 at Longeau.
Lt Walton saw action on the opening day of the Somme Offensive when the 7th Battalion were badly mauled in the attack on Fricourt on July 1st.
Remaining on the Somme the battalion were also involved in actions around the Le Transloy Ridges in October of 1916.
1917 saw Lt Walton at the Battle of Arras and in October of that year at 3rd Ypres, the Passchendaele offensive where he was wounded in action.
Lt Herbert Parlby Walton died of his wounds on December 7th 1917 aged 26.
Photo : Photo : Derek Pratt, the Rector of St Paul's Church, Rondebosch
Photo : Derek Pratt, the Rector of St Paul's Church, Rondebosch
Photo : Zaianand licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence
