Private Joseph Walker

Joseph was born in St. Peters, Nottinghamshire on 22 July 1884. His father was also named Joseph and his mother’s name was Edna. Little is known about his early life, but the 1911 Census records that he was listed as a Private on board ship berthed in Portsmouth.

In 1915, Joseph married Bertha Caroline Basten in Alverstoke, Hampshire. It is likely that the couple lived with Bertha’s parents in Lyveden Road, Colliers Wood, as Joseph was serving in the armed forces, and Bertha was still living at that address until at least 1929.

The Royal Marines Light Infantry served in many campaigns during the Great War, including Gallipoli in 1916, and Battles on the Somme in November 1916.
On 4 April 1917, Joseph was killed as a result of enemy action. He was on board the SS City of Paris when it was torpedoed by a German Submarine (U35) south of Cap d'Antibes. The SS City of Paris was originally a passenger ship, but in 1915 it was employed as a troopship and then used on Government service including a number of voyages to India with officials. The ship was on its way to Marseilles from India with cargo and 13 passengers when it was attacked. Having been previously warned of U-Boats, she was steering a zig-zag course at the time. The ship was being abandoned when the U-Boat surfaced and commenced shelling her, before sinking her with a second torpedo. French patrol boats later found four lifeboats with 41 bodies in them. Two further boats were never found and a total of 122 lives were lost.

It is not clear why Joseph was on this ship, as the Royal Marines Light Infantry are not recorded as being in India at any time during the war and Joseph was the only naval casualty recorded on that day. Josephs naval records state that he died on 5 April 1917, but this event happened on 4 April.

Joseph is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire and locally at Christchurch, Colliers Wood. His widow Bertha received the 1914-15 Star, Victory & British War Medals on his behalf.