Able Seaman James Walker

James Walker was born in St Marys, Ontario on 12 February 1924 and raised in Blanshard Township where he was educated at 55 #8 at Rannoch. Son of James and Agnes S. Walker, of Lakeside, Ontario. After leaving school, he worked initially for Maxwell's and then at Coronation Dairy. In his spare time, he paraded with the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion of the Perth Regiment. James Walker was enroled in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve on 3 March 1942 on a part time basis, and was placed on active service 8 April 1942. He did his basic training at HMCS Prevost, the naval army in London and was then sent to HMCS Cornwallis in Nova Scotia from 7 June to 21 July 1942 for gunnery training. Returning to HMCS Provost in July, Able Seaman Walker was drafted to HMCS Cornwallis on 22 September and HMCS Alberni at Halifax on 6 October 1942. Able Seaman Walker has no known grave but is commemorated by name on the Halifax Memorial as well as on a bronze plaque on the Cenotaph located in St. Marys, Ontario.