dewmuw
23rd of January 2005 (Sun), 13:49
Captain FJ 'Johnny' Walker
Captain Frederic John ‘Johnny’ Walker, C B, DSO and three bars, RN was the most famous escort commander to be based at Liverpool during the war and the most successful ever in anti-submarine warfare.
His career until the outbreak of the war had been fairly ordinary. He joined the navy in 1913 and proved to be a very able cadet. He saw active service in the First World War. In the inter-war period he was in the then unfashionable area of anti-submarine warfare. He became one of the few specialists in this field.
In 1940 he was appointed Operations Staff Officer to Admiral Ramsey and in October 1941 he became commander of the 36th Escort Group raising his flag in the sloop HMS Stork, whose home base was in Gladstone docks.
The 36th Escort Group was initially engaged in escorting Gibraltar - bound convoys during which Walker trained the convoy escorts to act as a team.
Captain Walker was an unorthodox and inspirational officer who won great respect and affection from his men. At his insistence, the jaunty popular tune ‘A - Hunting we will go’ was played over the loud-hailer on the bridge whenever leaving harbour.
In April 1943, following many successes in command of HMS Stork and the 36th Escort Group (1941 – 1942), Walker was put in command of HMS Starling and the Second Support Group. The six sloops comprising Starling, Magpie, Woodpecker, Kite, Wild Goose and Wren, were purpose-built anti-submarine attack ships and the Group was given an offensive role.
Captain Walker died of a stroke in July 1944. This was almost certainly caused by stress, overwork and the heavy demands of his role in the war. He was buried at sea in Liverpool Bay after a funeral service with full naval honours in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral.
His example and methods had a lasting effect on the Allied anti-submarine campaign. His successes were an inspiration to others. 20 U-boats were sunk by ships under his command and, after his death, a further eight were sunk by ships which were part of the Second Support Group during his period of command.
After the war, Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander-in-Chief of Western Approaches, considered that victory in the Atlantic was due more to Walker than to any other individual. “Victory was won, and should be won, by such as he”, he had said at Walker’s funeral.
Walker himself always acknowledged the importance of the whole team. He once said “….. I do not think that I am an ace U-boat killer ….. this kind of warfare is not the sort that has one man as its ace protagonist….. that formidable character is one thousand British tars”.
http://www.pbase.com/dewmuw/image/38847449.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/dewmuw/image/38847448.jpg
Photos taken at the Pier Head, Liverpool. Johnny stands looking out across the Mersey.
Captain Frederic John ‘Johnny’ Walker, C B, DSO and three bars, RN was the most famous escort commander to be based at Liverpool during the war and the most successful ever in anti-submarine warfare.
His career until the outbreak of the war had been fairly ordinary. He joined the navy in 1913 and proved to be a very able cadet. He saw active service in the First World War. In the inter-war period he was in the then unfashionable area of anti-submarine warfare. He became one of the few specialists in this field.
In 1940 he was appointed Operations Staff Officer to Admiral Ramsey and in October 1941 he became commander of the 36th Escort Group raising his flag in the sloop HMS Stork, whose home base was in Gladstone docks.
The 36th Escort Group was initially engaged in escorting Gibraltar - bound convoys during which Walker trained the convoy escorts to act as a team.
Captain Walker was an unorthodox and inspirational officer who won great respect and affection from his men. At his insistence, the jaunty popular tune ‘A - Hunting we will go’ was played over the loud-hailer on the bridge whenever leaving harbour.
In April 1943, following many successes in command of HMS Stork and the 36th Escort Group (1941 – 1942), Walker was put in command of HMS Starling and the Second Support Group. The six sloops comprising Starling, Magpie, Woodpecker, Kite, Wild Goose and Wren, were purpose-built anti-submarine attack ships and the Group was given an offensive role.
Captain Walker died of a stroke in July 1944. This was almost certainly caused by stress, overwork and the heavy demands of his role in the war. He was buried at sea in Liverpool Bay after a funeral service with full naval honours in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral.
His example and methods had a lasting effect on the Allied anti-submarine campaign. His successes were an inspiration to others. 20 U-boats were sunk by ships under his command and, after his death, a further eight were sunk by ships which were part of the Second Support Group during his period of command.
After the war, Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander-in-Chief of Western Approaches, considered that victory in the Atlantic was due more to Walker than to any other individual. “Victory was won, and should be won, by such as he”, he had said at Walker’s funeral.
Walker himself always acknowledged the importance of the whole team. He once said “….. I do not think that I am an ace U-boat killer ….. this kind of warfare is not the sort that has one man as its ace protagonist….. that formidable character is one thousand British tars”.
http://www.pbase.com/dewmuw/image/38847449.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/dewmuw/image/38847448.jpg
Photos taken at the Pier Head, Liverpool. Johnny stands looking out across the Mersey.