Other Information:Gideon was educated at Daniel Stewart's College and Edinburgh University, qualifying M.B., Ch.B in 1912. He gained a temporary commission within the R.A.M.C. at the rank of Lieutenant in September 1914, then entered the war in France on 2nd December, becoming the medical officer for the 2nd Bn. Scots Guards. He was promoted to Temporary Captain in September 1915, and later served with the 3rd Field Ambulance. The citation for Gideon's Military Cross reads - "This officer cleared the wounded of the battalion with remarkable efficiency. In addition, he worked for two days under heavy and continuous shell fire evacuating wounded." He was the son of Gideon and Isabella Walker (nee Neilson) of 4 Belford Terrace, Edinburgh. A letter to The Editor of the Scotsman reads " Sir, While much has been heard of the doings of the Guards Division during the past ten days, there are those among us who, while proud of what has been done to uphold the honour and traditions of the Army, yet are sad at heart over the loss of brave comrades. In the 3rd Guards Brigade one man especially is deeply mourned and just because he was so quietly and unostentatiously devoted to their wellfare (sic), we seek through your paper to acknowledge the debt of gratitude that all ranks owed to him. In November 1915, Doctor Gideon Walker, M.C. of EDINBURGH was appointed Medical Officer to the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards with whom he served through the SOMME Campaign of 1916. The work he did then has often been described by our men as "More than value for a V.C." In the spring of this year he was transferred to No 3 Field Ambulance where he continued to watch over the Wellfare of the 3rd Guards Brigade, especially during the difficult fighting in July and August. In October he was placed in command of the Stretcher Bearers of the Brigade and in this capacity he threw himself eagerly into the battle for BOURLON WOOD and LA FONTAINE. He improvised in a few hours a system of evacuation of the wounded by means of a German Light Railway, which greatly minimised the suffering and saved the lives of many of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards. It was while supervising this system that he met his death on the 27th November. He was going up to the front lines with a party of stretcher bearers when the Germans put down a heavy barrage on his railhead. Urged by his Sergeant to wait till it lifted he only smiled, and taking a few men endeavoured to push though. He was caught in the barrage and grievously wounded. Before he died he spoke to the men beside him words typical of his indomitable courage and cheery optimism - "Its all right - we'll go on." Loved and respected by every man who knew him in the Brigade, he bore a wonderful reputation for fearless courage and cheery devotion to duty. The cross that marks his grave in a little British Cemetery bears his epitaph: - "Fearless and unselfish, he gave his life for the wounded of the Guards Division where he was loved by all." He received the Military Cross for his work during the battle of the SOMME with the 2nd Bn, Scots Guards, and a bar to his Military Cross for his equally fine work during the operations in Flanders with the same Battalion, but for the finest tribute to this man of 27 is the way in which the news of his death affected the whole 3rd Guards Brigade." [Information kindly provided by Gideon's family]
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