REGGIE WALKER - OLYMPIC LEGEND

Walker was 19 years, 128 days when he won the 100m sprint at the  
1908 Olympic Games, making him the youngest ever winner of this 
Olympic blue chip event.               

REGINALD EDGAR WALKER

(March 16, 1889 - November 5, 1951)

OLYMPIC 100m CHAMPION 

 LONDON 1908 (IVth OLYMPIAD)

100m WORLD RECORD HOLDER

WW1 WAR VETERAN (WOUNDED)

Reg Walker's 1908 solid gold Olympic medal as well as his

springbok blazer was reported stolen in the 1930's. 

His great grandson confirmed that many

 of his other medals & trophies were also stolen,

or given away by Walker during his life.

This named WW1 medal group of Walker is the only

prominent "Reg Walker" memorabilia I'm aware of.

 1914/15 Star (German South West Africa)

British War Medal & bilingual Victory Medal.

(Campaign in France)

 

 Naming on the 1914/15 Star

(7th Infantry - Kimberley Regiment)

Medal Index card for German South West Africa.

4th S.A.I. medals named Lance Corporal R.E. Walker

 Naming on the British War Medal &

bilingual (English/Dutch) Victory Medal.

(4th S.A.I. - South African Scottish)

Attestation paper for the campaign in France.

(February 1917)

Attestation paper for France

Reg Walker's service record confirms that he received
a gunshot wound to the head (Wounded-in-Action),
Rubber stamped on his Medal Index Card for the
1st South African Infantry Brigade in France.   

Service Record for France.

 Original certificate for setting a new 100metres World's Record

(Tuesday, August 4th, 1908)

 On the left is an original photograph of Reg Walker

in his springbok running gear.

The pic of the stop watch was captured moments

after he set a new world's record.

On the 28th July, 2012  the Independent Newspaper group 

published the following article in their Durban Saturday broadsheet. 

Wonderful research by Natal history buff Mark Levin.

"Heart & Soul

Walker was way ahead of the times" 

And the follow-up article by Tanya Waterworth

 Saturday, 4 August 2012.

This after Walker's great grandson, Greg Bouchet

read Levin's article and made contact with the Newspaper.

"Tragedy of Durban's Olympic hero" 

The following four scans are from the Independent articles.

 

Reg Walker wins the 100m gold medal at the 

1908 London Olympic Games.

 Walker always raced with the 

springbok emblem on his vest.

Walker is carried off the track after winning the 

gold medal at London 1908.

The 100m for men at the Olympic Games is considered as the 
blue riband event of all. Herewith the exclusive club of 25 winners up to 2012:
Usain Bolt (2), Justin Gatlin, Maurice Greene, Donovan Baily, Linford Christie,
Carl Lewis (2), Allan Wells, Hasely Crawford, Valery Borzov, Jim Hines, Bob Hayes,
Armin Hary, Bobby Morrow, Lindy Remigino, Harrison Dillard, Jesse Owens,
Eddie Tolan, Percy Williams, Harold Abrahams, Charles Paddock, Ralph Craig,
Reggie Walker, Archie Hahn (2), Frank Jarvis & Tom Burke.

A short biography, extracted from Mark Levin's research article as well
as information & background history supplied by Greg Bouchet (great grandson),
are in the process of being assembled and will be edited soon.

(To be published in this space)

NB: I would be very interested
in any Reggie Walker memorabilia.
Medals, certificates, pictures,
postcards, personal letters, etc. 
pixelrenoster@gmail.com