In Memory Of

BAXENDALE, WALTER

Service Details
Date of Birth:
 -0001-11-30
Rank:
 Major
Regiment:
 British South African Police
Former Regiment:
 formerly Lieut-Col., Southern Rhodesia Volunteers.
Date of Death:
 1916-10-23
Cause of Death:
 Killed in action, while leading a deployment against the Germans with Murray's Column. 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. 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."
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 IV. B. 5.
Cemetery:
 IRINGA CEMETERY
Country:
 Tanzania
Additional Information
Husband of Ellen Mary (nee McNamara) Baxendale. Together they had one child, a son, Oliver Robert (b.1913). Migrated to Southern Africa in 1895 and settled Southern Rhodesia. Established himself in the business of mineral water production. 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. 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. 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. Service during the Matabele Rebellion and the Second Boer War. He fought at the Relief of Mafeking. Entitled Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Relief of Mafeking and Rhodesia.