People Australia

Westby Lionel Walker, n.d. photographer unknown

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

Westby Lionel Walker was born on 30th July, 1874, at Toowoomba, Queensland, the son of the late Mr. William Henry Walker and of Mrs. Georgina M. Walker. He was educated at the Cooerwull Academy, Bowenfels, and the University of Sydney.

Westby Lionel Walker entered the service of the Bank on 24th April, 1896, at Coolgardie, Western Australia. In June, 1897, he was transferred to Head Office; thence on 1st July, 1898, to Tenterfield as assistant, and was appointed accountant there in January, 1900. He was transferred to Gunnedah as accountant in November, 1900; to Head Office in January, 1905 ; to Suva, Fiji, as accountant, in March, 1906; to the Inspector’s Department, Head Office, in July, 1908; and to Townsville, Queensland, as relieving officer, in November, 1911.

Enlisting in the A.I.F. on 23rd March, 1915, Westby Walker joined the 6th Light Horse in the following September as a trooper at Gallipoli, and was promoted to lieutenant in the 1st Battalion in the following November. He left Gallipoli with the last of the forces on the night of 19th December, 1915, and was on duty at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, from January to March. He was transferred to the 53rd Battalion in February, but re-transferred to the 1st Battalion and left Alexandria for France on 23rd March, 1916.

Lieutenant Walker was wounded on 28th May, 1916, but was able to rejoin his battalion in the following August, and was promoted to captain in October, 1916. Captain Walker, during his term of service, several times acted as area commandant.