Walter Baxendale (1870 - 1916)

Died 23 Oct 1916 at about age 46 in Ingominji, German East Africa

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Walter Baxendale was KIlled in Action during World War I - German East Africa.

Biography

BSA Police Crest

Birth & Upbringing: Walter was born about 1870 according to his marriage certificate. Strong possibility, subject to confirmation that Walter was born in Lancaster, Lancashire and was the son of Thomas and Ann (nee Brewer ) Baxendale. Ann died in 1875 and Thomas remarried Ellen? If correct, then census records suggest he had several siblings, Anne and Thomas. Still under research. ^[1]
Marriage and Family: He married Ellen Mary McNamara at a ceremony at St Mary's in Cape Town on 19 October 1911. ^[2] Together they had one child, a son, Oliver Robert (b.1913).
Migrations: Walter Baxendale migrated to Southern Africa in 1895 and settled in the territory which was to become Southern Rhodesia. ^[3]
Military Service: The BSA Police was very much a para-military service and was the nation's first line of defense. The force, at the time of World War I was the only regular force and the new country's first line of defense. The BSA Police participated in two campaigns against the Germans in the 1914-18 war, in the Caprivi Strip and in German East Africa.
Occupation: On his voyage from Southampton, England, Walter is listed as a Tradesman. He established himself in the business of mineral water production. In his civilian life Baxendale had been a businessman and was Mayor of Bulawayo on two separate occasions between 1904 and 1906, and then 1912 and 1913 so he was a man of influence. Volunteer Soldier - Walter Baxendale was not an attested member of the British South Africa Police. He had been appointed to command a unit of the BSA Police force which was deployed to East Africa. Walter, formerly a Colonel in the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers and Commander of the Western Division (Matabeleland) had played a key role in bringing together a second volunteer BSA Police Service Company for the war in German East Africa. Baxendale actually volunteered to drop a rank, to Major, to enable him to join up. His service history included service during the Matabele Rebellion and the Second Boer War. He fought at the Relief of Mafeking. ^[4]
Known Residences: 14, Chapel Street, Lancaster, Lancashire, England ^[1]
Honours and Awards: Queens South Africa Medal with clasps RoM (Relief of Mafeking), R (Rhodesia). ^[4]
Demise: Killed in Action while leading a deployment against the Germans with Murrays Column in World War I. ^{[5] [6]} The story goes that Major Baxendale had been called from Iringa to help reinforce the munitions and general stores at Ingominyi, which was under control of Captain Clarke of the South African Permanent Force. Baxendale's force was led into an ambush by locals sympathetic to the Germans. ^[7] This account from The Soldier's Burden "On 21st October a German commander approached Ngominyi, he was Leutnant Zingel from Wahle’s formation. He reconnoitered Captain Clark’s position. On the 23rd October Major W. Baxendale, a Southern Rhodesia Reservist serving in the British South Africa Police (BSAP), was ordered to move from Old Iringa towards Ngominyi. He took with him another officer, four European soldiers, 56 Askari and a machine gun. However 200 men of the German 26th Field Company were waiting and Zingel sprang a good ambush on the British patrol. Walter Baxendale was shot through the heart and killed, along with Sergeant George Charles de Willis Taylor, British South Africa Police (BSAP), and four Askari whose names do not appear to have been recorded. The other four Europeans were wounded and three of them captured along with a number of other Askari. The fourth European, medical orderly Corporal E.A. Green, escaped with the remaining Askari but the enemy seized the machine gun." ^[8]
Burial: Walter Baxendale was buried Iringa Cemetery, Tanganyika, now Tanzania (Grave reference IV. B. 5.) ^{[9] [10]}

Research Notes

• This profile is Work in Progress Field-4274 15:30, 11 August 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "1881 England and Wales census." database with images. findmypast.com Folio/Vol/Page: RG11/4267/66/16 citing The National Archives of the UK, Kew
2. ↑ South Africa, Civil Marriage Records, 1840-1973, database, FamilySearch  : 28 January 2021, > image 1 of 1; Pietermaritzburg Archives (Formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa.
3. ↑ "Passenger Lists Leaving UK - 1890-1960" database with images. findmypast.com SS Moor Departure Southampton destine to South Africa, landing Cape Town.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902" database with images. findmypast.com citing The National Archives WO100/267 page 30. Nominal rolls colonial units.
5. ↑ "Zimbabwe Death Registers, 1890-1977; Index to Death Register, 1892-1977," database with images, FamilySearch : 12 February 2020, Death registers > 1914-1916, Vol. 18 > image 251 of 286; National Archives, Harare.
6. ↑ Andrew Field: BSA Police Roll of Honour BSAP Website
7. ↑ Andrew Field: BSA Police Roll of Honour BSAP Website
8. ↑ The Soldier's Burden - Southern German East Africa
9. ↑ Find a Grave 70829241
10. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission 2617511