Mystery over restoration of war hero’s gravestone
HISTORIANS have been left baffled after a mystery benefactor restored the crumbling headstone of a First World War military hero to its former glory.
For decades the grave of Lieutenant Frederick Ramsey Walkerlay overgrown and neglected.
He served with the 2nd battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and his efforts were honoured with the Military Cross and the Legion D’Honneur.
An ornate headstone on his grave was eventually left lying in pieces on the ground of Dalry cemetery in Edinburgh.
But when an amateur military historian who intended to raise funds repaid the headstone revisited the grave, he discovered it had been fully restored and no-one could tell him who was responsible.
Now, with the 100th anniversary of Lt Walker’s death, history buff Edward Flint wants to uncover the identity of the benefactor who restored the headstone to its former glory.
Mr Flint, a retired civil servant from Edinburgh, said: “Frederick Walker’s stone was quite unique.
“It listed all his battles – the retreat from Mons, and battles of Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, Loos and the Somme.
“He had also been wounded twice in action and mentioned three times in despatches.
“The Legion of Honour was said to have been presented to him personally by General Joffre.
“But the headstone had fallen and was fragmented, it was just rubble.”
Lt Walker who was born in Tipperary, Ireland, joined the army when he was 13 years old. He died suddenly at Dreghorn camp, in Colinton, aged 34.
When he died, The Evening Despatch on January 10, 1917 reported: “A large number of people accompanied the cortege from camp to cemetery, preceded by pipe and brass bands of his battalion and followed by 600 men from different battalions. There was a graveside service, and shots were fired.”
In 2014, Mr Flint spoke to members of the Gorgie Memorial Hall about fundraising and returned to the graveyard to give an exact location.
He said: “The graveyard had been tidied up by volunteers and at first I couldn’t find it. My aim now is to find out who restored the stone and say ‘well done’ to them.”