Hamilton, Walter Gamble

2nd Lieutenant Walter Gamble Hamilton

was born in Church Street, Dromore, Co. Down on 13th November 1883 (birth registration) the son of John Hamilton, Linen Manufacturer's Clerk and Emily Hamilton nee Daniel. The bank Staff Record card records his date of birth as 15th November 1884. His parents married on 27th February 1876 at 

In 1901 Walter (16) was living in house 3, Princes Street, Dromore, Co. Down with his parents and 3 siblings; Alice (20), Bruce (14) and Francis (22). Two boarders Alfred Davison and a William Larmour were also in the house. Walter's occupation is recorded as a Bank Clerk.

On 3rd June 1901, Walter joined Northern Bank in Head Office. Transfers followed with Grafton Street (1901 - Junior), Head Office (1904), Coleraine (1904 - Junior), Elphin (1908 - Junior), Newtownstewart (1911 - Junior), Head Office (1914 - Relief) and Shaftesbury Square (1914 - Accountant). 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Northern Bank, Grafton Street, Dublin (tall building with chimneys)

Northern Bank, Coleraine branch

Northern Bank, Shaftesbury Square, Belfast

In 1911, Walter was boarding with a Susie Marshall and her niece Jessie Wishart in house 8, Main Street, Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone. He describes himself as a Bank Official. There are 2 more boarders and 3 servants residing in the house / hotel.

On ‘Ulster Day’, Saturday, 28th September 1912, Walter signed the Ulster Covenant at Newtownstewart Orange Hall.

The 'Northern Whig' published on 13th December 1913 reported Walter has discovering a fire in Newtownstewart:

W G Hamilton - Fire discovered

He was based in Shaftesbury Square branch when he volunteered and enlisted, aged 31, on 8th December 1915 into the North Irish Horse as a Trooper. His Service Number is recorded as 1988.

W G Hamilton - Medal Index Card
(address recorded as Northern Banking Co Ltd, Connswater branch)

Walter was promoted to Corporal before being gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant, Prince of Wales Leinster Regt (RC); attached Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He saw action at Messines 1917 and with the Allied Advances 1918. 

On 9th December 1918 Walter married Miss Alice Ann Chamberlain at St Martin-In-The-Fields, London.

W G Hamilton - Marriage Registration

St Martin-In-The-Fields Church, London

Demobilisation came in 1918 when he was invalided home. Walter was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

W G Hamilton - Medal Roll

The excellent North Irish Horse website carries a very detailed biography of him.

Walter Gamble Hamilton was born on 13 November 1883 at Church Street, Dromore, County Down, the fifth of six children of linen manufacturer's clerk John Hamilton and his wife Emily (nee Daniel). He was educated at the Intermediate School, Banbridge and the Royal Academical School, Belfast. In 1901 he was employed as a clerk with the Northern Bank, over the next fifteen years working at head office in Belfast and in branches at Grafton Street, Coleraine, Elphin, Newtownstewart and Shaftesbury Square.

Hamilton enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 29 November 1915 (No.1988 – later Corps of Hussars No.71656), understating his age by two years. On 5 February 1916 he was promoted to corporal. Three months later he fractured a rib, spending two weeks in Belfast Hospital.

On 3 August 1916 he embarked for France, where he was posted to the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment at Flesselles. A year later, when the regiment was dismounted and the men transferred to the infantry, Hamilton applied for a commission, expressing a preference for the Royal Irish Regiment. He left France for officer training on 24 September 1917 and after a period of leave reported for duty at No.7 Officer Cadet Battalion, Fermoy, on 9 November.

Hamilton was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant on 1 May 1918 and posted to the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment. Two months later he embarked for France where, although formally posted to the 2nd Leinsters, on 29 July he was sent to join the newly re-formed 7/8 Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Steenvoorde.

Hamilton may have seen action in the early days of the Advance to Victory Offensive, but during August he fell ill with dysentery and was evacuated to England for treatment and convalescence. It was not until 21 February 1919 that a medical board at Chiseldon found him fit for home service.

In the meantime, at the end of 1918, he had married Alice Ann Chamberlain in London.

Following his demobilisation on 16 April 1919, Hamilton re-joined the Northern Bank. He died in Belfast on 6 November 1950.

At least one of Hamilton's four brothers served during the war. Sergeant Bruce Hamilton of the 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele on 16 August 1917.

Following demobilisation, Walter re-joined Northern Bank in May 1919. He was transferred to Connswater (1922 - Cashier). In 1936, he was appointed to Head Office as Head of Sort.

Walter G Hamilton died at 19 Sydenham Park, Belfast on 6th November 1950. Probate is recorded in the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland as:

Hamilton Walter Gamble of 19 Sydenham Park Belfast retired bank official died 6 November 1950 at 51 Lisburn Road Belfast Probate Belfast 17 August to Alice Ann Hamilton the widow and Donald Bruce Hamilton engineer. Effects £2081 10s. 4d.