大象传媒

The following story by Terence Robertson is out of copyright and appears courtesy of and with thanks to Mike Kemble, and Captain Frederic John Walker.

As they came nearer, the cloud grew larger and the roaring louder until it seemed that the sea quivered under the impact of violent sound. To the small ships below there could be no hope of surviving such a terrible onslaught. Guns were trained round, and their crews sat wax-like and waiting for what appeared in every way to be the Group鈥檚 final battle. While trigger fingers itched for the order to open fire, a calm voice came over the R/T to be heard by every ship: 鈥淲ren, this is Captain Walker. I thought you said there were only twenty-one. It seems to me there might be a few more.鈥� For a moment there was a stunned silence on Wren鈥檚 bridge, then her captain capturing the spirit of Walker鈥檚 apparent indifference, replied delightedly: 鈥淪orry, Sir. My Radar Operator can鈥檛 count over twenty-one.鈥� When each gunnery officer was about to give the order to commence firing, Walker鈥檚 voice came over again: 鈥淒o not open fire. Secure action stations. These aircraft are Flying Fortresses.鈥� It was almost possible to hear the sigh of relief which spread through the Group. Walker himself had placidly sat on Starling鈥檚 bridge throughout the entire affair eating a bacon and egg sandwich and drinking a cup of cocoa. Shortly after this incident, he decided that the main battle would develop nearer the invasion areas, if it developed at all. Starling contracted an unexpected dose of 鈥渃ondenseritis鈥� and returned for repairs to Plymouth where it would be possible for the Captain to talk the Commander-in-Chief into giving his Group a new patrol line in the vicinity of where a U-boat attack might be expected. He succeeded in having the Group transferred and rejoined them in the Channel with the 鈥渃ondenseritis鈥� inexplicably cured again in a surprising manner. But the U-boats failed to make any concerted attack and the next week was marked by vain searches. One of these began with a series of under water explosions ahead of the Group鈥檚 hunting formation. They spent some time investigating without result until Walker called off his ships with the signal: 鈥淚 am afraid we must leave it and put it down to an "ichtheological gefuffle鈥� (A fishy disturbance). These days, Starling鈥檚 officers began to see signs of strain in their captain. His keen, hazel eyes had lost their eager glint; the spare frame drooped slightly; and he no longer joined in the Wardroom parties when in harbour, preferring to write letters home in his cabin. Returning to harbour only increased his anxieties. While officers could relax, he was constantly attending conferences and courteously receiving the commanding officers of his ships who brought a continuous stream of problems for immediate decision.

On July 2nd, with ships and men worn out, the Group arrived in Liverpool for repairs and rest. No one, however, could foresee the blow about to fall. All signs pointed in a different direction; for it was announced that Captain F J Walker had been awarded a fourth DSO. Two weeks earlier, while her husband was at sea, an Admiralty representative had called on Eilleen to tell her that Johnnie was to receive another award prior to being transferred to a larger command. He insisted that on this occasion she would have to see the Press. According to persistent rumours he was to be made a Knight Commander of the Bath. For the first few days in Liverpool, Walker was content to stay at home resting, tidying up his garden, joking with Gillian, playing with Andrew and telling Eilleen about his recent activities in the Channel. On July 7 he went aboard Starling to hear a new recording of 鈥淎-Hunting We Will Go鈥� especially made by the band of the 2nd Battalion of the Manchester Regiment at the request of Bill Johnson. At lunchtime, Commander Wemyss came to say good-bye as Wild Goose was going into dock for urgent major repairs and the rest of the Group were expected to sail again within the next forty-eight hours. They chatted in Walker鈥檚 cabin of triumphs and troubles they had shared and, before Wemyss left, a signal arrived ordering the Group to sea the following evening. Captain and Mrs. Walker met several of the Starling鈥檚 officers for lunch at the Adelphi Hotel. Bill Johnson was unusually quiet and over coffee handed his captain a letter received in Starling that morning. It was from the Admiralty and contained confirmation of Timothy鈥檚 death a year before in Parthian. Although they were now used to the idea that Timothy was dead, the official terms of the letter made everything very final. Walker told his officers to be ready to sail and left the hotel with Eilleen. That afternoon, they went to see a film called 鈥淢adame Curie鈥�. On the way back, Walker started complaining of giddiness and curious humming noises in his head. At home, he was violently sick and the giddy spells recurred. Eilleen, who had rarely in her life heard him complain of any illness, rang up Captain (D) and arrangements were made for Walker to be examined at the Royal Naval Hospital, Seaforth, where he was seen by Lieutenant-Commander C. A. Clarke, RNVR and sent to bed. Eilleen was told not to worry. Her husband was very fired and in need of rest. During the next day it became quickly apparent that some thing serious was wrong with Johnnie Walker. The sudden shock that perhaps his life was in danger spread from Eileen to Sir Max Horton and through the entire Command. In the evening, Eilleen was summoned to his bedside. Now, as he lay weak with fast-fading strength, he was content again to have her sitting beside him quietly saying her rosary. At midnight, he fell asleep and a naval car took Eilleen home. Two hours later, on Sunday the 9th, Captain Walker was dead. According to the doctors he had died of cerebral thrombosis. In fact, he died of overstrain, overwork and war weariness; body and mind had been driven beyond all normal limits in the service of his country. The message informing the Admiralty said formally: 鈥淐aptain Walker鈥檚 death is considered to be aggravated by and attributable to the conditions of his Naval Service.鈥� The Second Support Group were steaming into the Channel battlefield during the middle watch in Walker鈥檚 favourite hunting formation, line abreast and a mile apart. It was nearly 3 am when an Admiralty signal was simultaneously received in all ships:
鈥淭he Admiralty regrets to inform you of the death of your Senior Officer, Captain F J Walker, which took place at 0200 to-day.鈥�
Walker鈥檚 own 鈥済allant Starling鈥� was stunned by shock. At dawn the Ensign was half-masted and lifelines were trailed over the side in an ancient mariner鈥檚 tribute to a dead hero, while upon the entire Group fell a strange hush of mourning. From ordinary seaman to captain they grieved over the loss of not only a leader, but a friend. Numbing shock seemed to hang over the Group like a pall; it was almost impossible to imagine the ships going into action without that tall, lean figure in the grey pullover and patchwork waistcoat standing on Starling鈥檚 bridge eating a sandwich while he destroyed a U-boat; grinning when he missed; shouting orders over the loudhailer as his 鈥渃hicks鈥� got mixed up in an attack; cheering wildly when guns blazed at a tiny conning tower silhouetted in the silvery moonlight; meting out stern punishment at the defaulters鈥� table; and standing on his head in the Wardroom with a glass of beer. Officers and men repeated again and again, as though by some miracle it might not be true: 鈥淭he Captain is dead.鈥� Signals of sympathy poured into Derby House and the copies were sent by hand to Eilleen at 鈥淭he White House鈥�. That Captain Walker served not only England, but all the Allies, was underlined in a signal from Admiral Stark.
鈥淭he United States Forces in Europe wish to convey their deepest sympathy in the loss of an outstanding fighting naval officer in the untimely death of Captain Walker. Although this loss will be keenly felt by all the Allied forces everywhere, his fighting spirit will endure with us.鈥�

Continued.....
'This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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