Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War ‘Hong Kong’ O.B.E., Great War M.C. group of eleven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald David Walker, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, late Royal Engineers, wounded and taken prisoner by the Japanese

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these unnamed as issued; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Hong Kong, reverse inscribed, ‘Lt. Col. R. D. Walker, R.E., M.C.’, mounted court style for wear, good very fine and better (11) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 1 July 1941

M.C. London Gazette 26 March 1918; citation, 24 August 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When on a reconnaissance towards a bridge in the enemy’s lines, which was reported to be destroyed, he perservered in his efforts to reach this bridge after the enemy had become aware of his presence. Throughout this period he displayed marked skill, courage and resolution

Reginald David Walker was born in Edinburgh on 23 October 1892. He was educated at the Mathematical School, Rochester, Kent, 1905-07, and was apprenticed at H.M. Dockyard, Chatham, 1907-12. He continued his engineering study at the Royal College of Science and City and Guilds Engineering College, London, 1912-15. He was a Whitworth Exhibitioner in 1913. Walker was a member of the University of London O.T.C., from which he was granted a commission in June 1915 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Field Company, 2nd London Divisional Engineers, R.E. (T.F.). From September to December 1916 he served with 522 Field Company, R.E. in France, being promoted to Temporary Lieutenant in September 1916. With the same unit he then served in Salonika, December 1916-June 1917, and was in Egypt, June 1917-April 1918. Walker was promoted to Lieutenant in July 1917 and Acting Captain, November 1917. From April 1918 he served in Palestine. For his services he was awarded the Military Cross. Walker was demobilized in 1920, relinquishing his commission on 30 September 1921 and granted the rank of Captain

On 18 December 1920 Walker entered the service of the Federated Malay States Government Railway as an Assistant Engineer. In December 1923 he was appointed District Engineer of the Federated Malay States Railway. He remained with the F.M.S. Railways in a variety of engineering posts until 1934 when he moved to Hong Kong. There, in March 1934, he was appointed Acting Manager and Chief Engineer of the Kowloon-Canton Railway and was advanced to Manager and Chief Engineer in August the same year. Walker was a recipient of the Jubilee Medal 1935 (Hong Kong Government Gazette 6 May 1935) and Coronation Medal 1937 (Hong Kong Government Gazette 14 May 1937). Whilst in Hong Kong he joined the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and was a Major in the Railway Operating Cadre with seniority of 1 January 1935. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on 20 August 1940. In the Birthday Honours of 1941 he was appointed an O.B.E. (Military Divison) as a Major in the H.K.V.D.F. At this time he was Director of War Supplies in Hong Kong. At the fall of Hong Kong, Walker was wounded and became a prisoner-of-war and was held in Argyle Camp. After the war Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (Hong Kong), this published in the Hong Kong Gazette of 15 August 1947

Walker held a Diploma from Imperial College, was a Chartered Civil Engineer, a Member of the Institution of Chartered Engineers , a Member of the Institute of Transport, and an Associate of the Royal College of Science, and was the author of a number of technical books on overseas railways. He died on 4 February 1952, aged 59 years. Sold with copied research.