Granton War Memorial

John Walker was born circa 1899 and at the time of the 1901 Census he, aged 2 years, was living with his parents at 8 Bayton Terrace on Granton Road. The name ‘Bayton Terrace’ went out of use shortly after 1901 and the address was renumbered as part of Granton Road.

His parents were George and Jemima Walker. George Walker was born at Coldingham in Berwickshire and in 1901 he worked as a gardener (nursery). There was at least one nursery garden on Granton Road. Before his war service John Walker was an apprentice turner with Messrs Bruce Peebles & Co Lrd.

During the war John Walker joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve where he served as a gunner with the rank of Able Seaman. On 25th March 1918 he was serving on a defensively armed merchant vessel called the SS Destro. This ship was owned by Messrs T Wilson, Sons & Co Ltd of Hull and was engaged on a voyage from Namsos in Norway to Manchester. When it was 5 miles south-west of the Mull of Galloway it was torpedoed by German submarine U96 and John Walker died.

He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.