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.

Walker鈥檚 first thought was for his family. Before the gangway had been put across, he helped Eilleen to step over to the ship鈥檚 rail and on to the deck and led her to the Wardroom where with other officers鈥� wives she waited while the formalities were dealt with first. A battalion of newspapermen and photographers invaded each of the sloops in turn eager to pump stories from men who could only blink red-eyed and sleepily as flash-bulbs exploded in their faces. This was the price of carrying out the most successful patrol of the Battle of the Atlantic; no cruise before or since yielded such a triumphant victory for the Allies or dealt such a crippling blow to the U-boat Arm. (Three months later in the Pacific, the American aircraft carder Hoggart Bay with the anti-submarine vessels USS England, George, Hazelwood and Roby, in company claimed six鈥� probable鈥� Japanese submarines in a four.week cruise). The Admiralty and the newspapers were determined to make the most of it for propaganda purposes. In Starling Walker told Filleul to keep the Press at bay, instructed Eileen to give no interviews and then escorted the First Lord and Sir Max to his cabin.
Meanwhile, the fifty-one prisoners from U-26 were marched ashore and handed over to an Army escort. Presently, a message was sent down to the Wardroom asking Eileen to join the group in the Captain鈥檚 cabin and there she met Mr. Alexander whose first words were: 鈥淲ell, Mrs. Walker, we have already given your husband a CB and two DSO's, so what on earth do we give now? What would you suggest?鈥� 鈥淚 really don鈥檛 know,鈥� replied Eilleen. 鈥淏ut I am sure Johnnie isn鈥檛 even thinking about it.鈥� On the dockside, a broad space had been cleared near the sloops whose crews were lined up in their respective divisions round a raised dais. From this Sir Max opened proceedings. 鈥淚 am proud of you all. This last voyage was a wonderful achievement. Here in Liverpool, we all watched your progress with mounting excitement. To say we were thrilled is putting it very mildly. Therefore on behalf of us all on the Staff ashore I thank you all for your good work.鈥� But more than anything else, the Group needed rest. While they tried to appear cheerful, many officers were too tired to drink the many toasts offered in their honour. Walker and his family lunched in his cabin and helped to deal with fan mail. He received a surprising number of letters from people throughout Britain and even from America congratulating him and asking for advice on such problems as whether sons and daughters should join the Navy and the Wrens. He answered all these personally, particularly those from a Midland family, named Starling. After lunch, he said to Eilleen: 鈥淚sn鈥檛 it funny? All this fuss and ceremony and I鈥檓 still just the same old Johnnie they didn鈥檛 think it worthwhile to promote.鈥� When homeward bound after leaving Woodpecker in the hands of the tug, Storm King, Walker鈥檚 officers had noticed that he was inclined to fret unduly about the date of their arrival in Liverpool. In that curious, inexplicable way by which news passes through ships, it was soon discovered that February 27th was his silver wedding anniversary. Starling docked on the 25th and, after several furtive comings and goings by officers and ratings, Johnnie and Eilleen were invited on board for what was supposed to be a small anniversary party. It developed into a gay affair and on behalf of the Wardroom Filleul presented Eilleen with a silver dish suitably inscribed. Later, representatives of the ship鈥檚 company came to present her with a silver sugar bowl and cream jug. Both gifts had to be made to her as it would have been a breach of regulations for the crew to offer a present to their captain. About a week later, the value of the creeping attack came up again when Captain Pat Cooper arrived from London and dined aboard as Walker鈥檚 guest. One of Walker鈥檚 first anti submarine pupils and now specialising for the Admiralty in new equipment, Cooper revived the idea that certain new equipment should be fitted in Starling and jokingly referred to her 鈥渂ow and arrow鈥� instruments. His arguments were useless. Walker鈥檚 mind was set against anything new which could not be shown to have produced the same standard of success which he regarded now as normal. Cooper protested that this was almost impossible as the Second Support Group鈥檚 record had not been equalled. 鈥淲ell, that鈥檚 it,鈥� Walker summed up. 鈥淲hen I stop killing U-boats with my present set-up I shall come to you for some thing to cure the complaint. While I am successful, I honestly see no reason why I should clutter up the ship with a lot of gear which in all probability will never be used.鈥� When the two friends parted with a warning from Cooper that the latest instruments might yet prove valuable, neither could foresee that it was to be their last meeting. A friendship which had been born in the difficult days of Portland in the 鈥榯wenties, when all and-submarine specialists were considered only one stage removed from cranks, was in its twilight. But first the threat of the U-boat had to be stamped out to ensure free and unmolested passage across the battlefield for the great invasion convoys. Walker鈥檚 tiring, lean, over-taut frame was being driven by seemingly boundless physical and mental energy . After hearing of an impudent U-boat which persisted in patrolling the mid-Atlantic, transmitting regular weather reports for the benefit of the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht as well as the U-boat Arm, the Second Support Group sailed again early in March to deal with this enemy weather station and any other U-boat which might be sailing in what were now rightly regarded as Allied waters. On the eve of sailing, Derby House informed Walker that he had been awarded his third DSO Worth far more to him was the announcement that he had been awarded two year鈥檚 extra seniority as Captain. In one stroke a grateful Admiralty had wiped out the past and placed him again among his team mates. Their Lordships had erased forever the old black mark, 鈥渓acking powers of leadership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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