More about Joseph Richard McWalter

Joseph was aboard H.M.S. Falmouth which was a 5,250 ton Light Cruiser, when she was torpedoed twice by German Submarine U-66 on 19.08.1916 while screening the Grand Fleet. She was towed to Flamborough Head but was torpedoed a second time, again twice by Submarine U-63. All the crew were rescued by escorting Destroyers with no loss of live but one stoker (Joseph) died of injuries the next day. H.M.S. Falmouth  finally sunk 5 miles south of Flamborough Head on 19.08.1916.

Joseph was the father of Pte James McWalter, 11889, 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry who died as a P.O.W. 11.04.1915.

Joseph McWalter   1306V   Royal Navy

DUNDEE WOMEN LOSES HUSBAND AND SON.

The war has bereft Mrs M’Walter, 8 Dens Road, Dundee, of both her husband, who was a stoker on board H.M.S. Falmouth, and son James, a private in the Highland Light Infantry.

The photo is that of her husband, Joseph M’Walter, who went down with the Falmouth.  He was in the Royal Naval Reserve for sixteen years, and was 47 years of age.

Private James M’Walter, H.L.I., died in a German camp.

Dundee Courier 7th September 1916

DUNDEE NAVYMAN MISSING.

Stoker Joseph M’Walter, a Dundee man, who was on board H.M.S. Falmouth when she was torpedoed on 19th August, is reported missing from that date.  Stoker M’Walter was in reserve, and was called up on the outbreak of war. He previously served in the navy for a period of sixteen years.  He is 47 years of age, and was before rejoining employed as an iron dresser in Wallace Foundry.  His daughter-in-law resides at 23 Watson Street, Dundee.  Stoker M’Walter has two sons serving, one being in the army and the other in the navy.

Dundee Courier 16th September 1916

Joseph R McWalter was the son of Mr John and Mrs Mary Ann McWalter. He was married to Mrs Agnes McWalter of 9 Cotton Street, Dundee and the father of Joseph Richard McWalter. He volunteered to join the Royal Naval Reserve at the Customs House in Dundee in 1902. His record does not show any Naval activity until 1911 when he trained onboard the cruisers HMS Hampshire and HMS St George. On mobilisation in August 1914 he reported to the Chatham Naval Barracks in Kent and was drafted to the cruiser HMS Falmouth and was onboard during the Battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland. On 19 August 1916 HMS Falmouth was torpedoed by the German submarine U-66 and sunk the next day sunk by U-63. Joseph McWalter was one of twelve deaths in the sinking and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common in Hampshire. Mrs Agnes McWalter asked for his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to be given to her but her husband had not served the required time. She died before his War Gratuity was paid and the money was sent to her son in 1922 when he was living at 13 Watson Street, Dundee. The wreck of HMS Falmouth was declared a protected site on 3 March 2017.