Michael
Firstname
Patrick
Middle Name
Walton
Surname
Date of Birth
School Years:
Date of Death:
Family
Son of Joseph and Margaret (nee Rowntree) Walton of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
School Record
Member of the outstanding Rugby 1stXV of 1937 and Captain of Football in 1938
Branch of Service:
Army Royal Engineers
Service Number:
224586
Rank:
Decorations:
Service Record
Lieutenant
Campaign Medals.
Post War Career
he joined the Royal Engineers and was seconded to Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners. He joined the West African Campaign in November 1942 on its drive to Tunisia and was killed when he lifted a mine with a push-pull igniter at Medjez-el-Bab in Tunisia on 16th March 1943. The Axis forces finally surrendered on 13th May 1943. He is buried at Sfax War Cemetery Tunisia.
Burial Information
Grave reference 11.D.7. Sfax War Cemetery Tunisia.
Additional Information
In an article entitled "Great Teams" by Drew Forrest (son of J. E. (Ted) Forrest who also played in the team referred to and served in WW2). At pages 16 and 17 of OIJ issue 3 of 2012, there is reference to Ted having written comments on his experiences and those of a number of his 1937 teammates. The article states:- "The death that Ted seems to have felt most keenly was that of Mike Walton (middle row, first right) whom he describes as "the best forward we had". In one of his detailed comments, he describes how Walton was killed when "he lifted a mine with a push-pull igniter" at Medjez-el-Bab in Tunisia. As he (Ted) was one of the supporting tanks, the explosion happened close to him."
There is a record, posted on 15th September 2009, of flowers having been left at the graveside in Sfax by SusanR
Other Pictures
Sfax War Cemetery in Tunisia where Michael Walton is buried.
