H . M . S
. W A L K E R ( D 2 7 )
Admiralty W-Class Destroyer ordered from William Denny of Dumbarton under the 10th Order of
the 1916-17 Programme on 9th
December 1916. The ship was laid down on 26th March 1917 and was launched as
the first RN warship to bear the
name on 29th November 1917. Build was completed on 12th February 1918 and
included facilities for use as a
minelayer. She served briefly in WW1. After the Armistice she was deployed in
the Baltic was in action against
Russian warships. In 1921 she was in 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet and
went into Reserve after 1930.
(See General Information). She was brought forward for service in 1939 before
the outbreak of war as part of the
mobilisation of the Reserve Fleet. Following a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign during March
1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Sale, then in the County
of Cheshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-43 - NORWAY 1940 - NORMANDY 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944
- ARCTIC 1944-45
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Blue a Stag's
head Proper issuant
from an Eastern Crown.
M o t t o
'Ready and
faithful'
D e t a i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August Commissioned
at Devonport with Reserve complement.
(Note:
Ship was to attend Review of Reserve Fleet by HM King George VI in Weymouth Bay)
Remained in commission after Review when Fleet mobilised.
Passage to Plymouth to prepare
for war service.
(Note:
War Station allocated to join 11th Destroyer Flotilla.
September Joined
11th Destroyer Flotilla based at Plymouth for convoy defence and anti- submarine
patrol
in English Channel and SW Approaches.
9th Escorted Convoy
OB2 with HM Destroyers VANQUISHER and WINCHELSEA.
10th During passage after leaving convoy
sustained major damage in collision with
HM Destroyer
VANQUISHER.
Embarked injured from VANQUISHER.
(Note:
HMS VANQUISHER was disabled and later proceeded to Plymouth with difficulty for
repair.
HM
Aircraft Carrier COURAGEOUS was in vicinity but did not provide any assistance
despite the lack of a Medical Officer on board.)
14th Taken in hand for
repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.
October Under repair by HM Dockyard.
to Rejoined Flotilla on completion.
December
1 9 4 0
January
13th Detached and took passage to join inward Convoy HG15F with HM
Destroyers BROKE,
KEPPEL, WALKER and HM Sloop ENCHANTRESS as escort during passage to
Liverpool.
15th HMS BROKE detached.
17th HMS AMAZON joined escort on relief by HM Destroyer KEPPEL.
19th Detached from HG15F.
February Western Approaches convoy
defence in continuation.
March
25th Joined outward Convoy OG23 on formation in SW approaches with
HM Destroyers CAMPBELL,
VOLUNTEER and
WANDERER for escort in Western Approaches during passage in Atlantic to
Gibraltar.
26th Detached from OG23 on relief by two
French warships.
Joined escort
for inward Convoy HG23 during passage to Liverpool from Gibraltar.
27th Joined HM Sloops SCARBOROUGH and WELLINGTON in escort for HG23 with
HMS VOLUNTEER and HMS CAMPBELL.
30th Detached from HG23 with escort on
arrival at Liverpool.
April
8th Transferred to
Home Fleet after German invasion of Norway.
Escorted military convoys in support of allied landings (Operation
RUPERT/R4).
9th Sustained slight damage during air
attacks in defence of convoy.
30th Assisted with
evacuation of allied troops from Andalsnes and Molde.
Subjected
to sustained
air attacks.
Ferried
personnel from shore to HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD
with HM
Destroyer WESTCOTT
for passage to UK.
May
1st Covered final evacuation from
Andalsnes under further heavy air attacks.
Continued convoy defence and support of military operations in Norway.
Pennant
No for visual signalling changed to 127 to conform with
changes made for all RN ships.
28th Deployed with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, FAME and HAVELOCK to provide naval gunfire
support in Rombaks Fjord during
military operations to capture Narvik.
See
Naval Staff History (HMSO, 2002) for details.
June
8th Escorted final evacuation convoy from
Harstad.
Last ship to leave Narvik area.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway and the evacuation of allied
troops
see NARVIK by Donald Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton
and the Naval Staff
History).
July
2nd Carried out
unsuccessful attack on U47 aster the sinking of rms
ANDORA STAR.
(Note:
This ship was taking German and Italian Prisoners of War to Canada
HM Canadian Destroyer ST LAURENT carried out rescue
work during which over 800 of
the 1,676 on board. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
On
return taken in hand for repair
August Under repair.
to
September
October Carried
out post repair trials
to Resumed convoy defence duties Convoy
escort in Western Approaches
December
1 9 4 1
January Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
February Joined
5th Escort Group in Western Approaches Command as Senior Officer's Ship.
(Note:
Other ships in Group were HM Destroyers VANOC, VOLUNTEER and CALDWELL
based at Liverpool.
Deployed with Group in Western Approaches.
March Part
of escort for Convoy HX112.
17th Took pert in
search for U100 with HM Destroyer VANOC. Submarine forced to surface
after
sustained hunt
(Note: U100 was sunk after being rammed by HMS VANOC.)
During
rescue of six survivors from U100 detected U99 also taking part in the attacks on
HX
112
Carried
cut depth charge attacks on U99 which surfaced and abandoned by crew.
. Rescued 40 survivors.
(Note:
U100 was commanded by Joachim Schepke and U99 by Otto
Kretschmer who
was
Germany most successful U-Boat
Commanders at that date.
For
details see THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE by T Robertson, THE BATTLE OF THE
THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre and HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair..
Captain
D MacIntyre was Senior Officer of EG5.)
Reunions of the survivors of U99 and crew of HMS WALKER
have been held since
1963).
April Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Deployed in Western Approaches
Command.
12th Joined military convoy WS15 in Clyde with HM Destroyers VANOC, WITHERINGTON
and
VOLUNTEER as
Local Escort for passage in NW Approaches.
(Note: Convoy
comprised 22 troopships and was on passage to Suez, Bombay and Singapore.
February
15th Detached from WS15 and took passage with HMS WALKER to return
to Clyde
17th Joined military convoy WS16 in Clyde with HM Destroyers ACTIVE, ANTHONY,
BLANKNEY,
CROOME, DUNCAN, FIREDRAKE, LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, VERITY and
WITHERINGTON as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.
21st Remained with WS16 as escort with HMS VERITY and HMS
WITHERINGTON when the other
Home Fleet
destroyers detached for escort of major warships to Gibraltar.
(Note: HM Battleship
MALAYA, HM Aircraft Carriers EAGLE and
FORMIDABLE, HM Cruiser
HERMIONE also
detached)
22nd Detached from WS16 with HMS VERITY and HMS WITHERINGTON when
HM Destroyer
PALADIN and HM
Cruiser NEWCASTLE joined as Ocean Escort.
(Note: Convoy
comprised 21 troopships on passage to Suez and Bombay.)
March Deployment in Western
Approaches for convoy defence in continuation.
to (Note:
For details of changes in U-Boat tactics and weapons used for convoy attacks
see
December SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT
WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by
D Macintyre.)
Nominated for conversion as a Long Range Escort.
(See General Information and V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston.)
1 9 4 3
January Taken
in hind, for conversion by Thames shipyard.
February Under
conversion
to
April
May Carried
out harbour and sea post refit trials.
June Worked-up
for operational service.
July Transferred
to 4th Escort Group for convoy escort and support in Atlantic.
(For
details of changes in tactics and introduction of new weapons for defence of Atlantic
convoys see SEEK AND STRIKE, BUSINESS IN GREAT
WATERS and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).
August Deployed
with Group in NW Approaches in convoy escort and support role.
September Convoy
support and escort duty in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Detached
for service in Home Fleet for escort of Russian convoys.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOY I
by P Kemp, CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
February Joined
Close Escort for Russian Convoy JW57 with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA,
KEPPEL and four FLOWER Class Corvettes.
28th Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
without loss of any convoyed ship.
Air
and submarine attacks were held off by air cover and escorting ships.
March
2nd Joined Close Escort for return
Convoy RA57 with same ships.
4th Under attack by
U-Boats.
10th Detached from RA57
on arrival at Loch Ewe.
29th Joined HM Sloops STARLING, MAGPIE, WILD
GOOSE, WREN and WHIMBREL of 2nd
Escort Group with HM
Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA and KEPPEL for support of Russian
Convoy
JW58.
April
4th Arrived at
Kola Inlet after series of air and submarine attacks.
7th Joined Ocean Escort for return Convoy
RA58 with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA,
INCONSTANT, KEPPEL, VENUS, WESTCOTT, WHITEHALL and
WRESTLER.
12th Detached from RA58
before arrival at Loch Ewe after undetected passage.
20th Passage to Kola Inlet with HM Cruiser
DIADEM, HM Escort Carriers ACTIVITY FENCER,
15
Home Fleet destroyers and three Canadian frigates escorting a merchant ship (NEA
HELLAS)
to collect ships and personnel from Russian ports.
23rd Arrived at Kola
Inlet without NEA HELLAS which had returned with defects.
28th Embarked 13 USN
ratings for passage to UK.
(Note:
Soviet Navy personnel were also embarked on other returning warships to
UK to man
warship awaiting transfer to Russia.)
Joined
escort for returning convoy RA59 with HMS DIADEM, HMS FENCER and escorts from
Home Fleet and Western Approaches Commands.
May Nominated for duty in support of Normandy landings
(Operation NEPTUNE).
3rd Detached from RA59 after experiencing
atrocious weather conditions with U-Boat
attacks lasting
two days.
On
arrival prepared for detached duty with HM Corvette HONEYSUCKLE, the French LA
NANTAISE and HM Trawler LINCOLNSHIRE as Escort
Group 137.
June Passage to Milford Haven for escort of
military convoy E2B2Z.
4th Escorted Convoy of 32 Transports
taking US Build-up Division to Western Task Force area.
(Note:
Escort was supplemented by 144th Escort Group and two Trawlers.)
For
details of Normandy landing operations see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards,
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).
8th Arrived off Beachhead and returned to
Milford Haven
10th Deployed for escort of Follow-up Convoys
to American beach heads.
On
release from NEPTUNE resumed Atlantic convoy defence with Group.
July Atlantic
Convoy defence and support in continuation.
to
September
October Detached
for duty with 8th Escort Group to escort of Russian convoy.
20th Joined HM Sloop LAPWING and HM Sloop LARK and three FLOWER Class
corvettes as
Close
Escort for Russian Convoy JW61.
28th Detached on
arrival at Kola Inlet after safe passage with no losses.
November
2nd Joined escort for returning Convoy
RA61 with same ships.
9th Detached on
arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.
December Resumed
convoy escort and support in NW Approaches.
30th Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW63
with HMS KEPPEL, HMS WESTCOTT and Sloops
of 8th Escort Group.
1 9 4 5
January
8th Detached on
arrival at Kola after uninterrupted passage.
11th Escorted returning
RA63 in atrocious weather which delayed progress.
Remained with HMS KEPPEL and HMS WESTCOTT as Local Escort.
23rd Detached from RA63
on arrival in Clyde.
February Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence.
(Note:
Convoys were re-routed through English Channel and some escorts were
re-deployed in coastal areas to counter the increased threat
by U-Boats
fitted with SCHNORKEL equipment operating at convoy focal
points.
March Deployed
in Home waters for convoy defence and anti-submarine operations.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WALKER was not deployed operationally after the end of
hostilities and was Paid-off. The ship reduced to Reserve status and was placed was placed on the Disposal Lost.
Sold to BISCO for breaking up in 1946 she arrived in tow at the breaker’s at Troon on 15th
March that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS WALKER
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
16/11/39 16/11/39 OB 036 19/11/39 17/11/39
17/11/39 17/11/39 OG 007 19/11/39 24/11/39
27/11/39 27/11/39 OB 042 29/11/39 01/12/39
06/12/39 06/12/39 OB 048 09/12/39 10/12/39
24/11/39 10/12/39 SL 010 10/12/39 10/12/39
16/12/39 16/12/39 OB 054 19/12/39 19/12/39
10/12/39 23/12/39 HXF 012 unknown 24/12/39
29/12/39 09/01/40 HX 014 12/01/40 12/01/40
13/01/40 13/01/40 HG 015F 19/01/40 22/01/40
28/01/40 28/01/40 OB 081 31/01/40 31/01/40
16/01/40 02/02/40 SL 017 04/02/40 04/02/40
07/02/40 07/02/40 OB 087 10/02/40 10/02/40
18/02/40 18/02/40 OB 094 20/02/40 22/02/40
26/02/40 26/02/40 OB 099 29/02/40 01/03/40
23/03/40 23/03/40 OB 115 unknown 25/03/40
25/03/40 25/03/40 OG 023 26/03/40 31/03/40
20/03/40 27/03/40 HG 023 30/03/40 30/03/40
01/04/40 01/04/40 OB 121 04/04/40 04/04/40
22/03/40 05/04/40 SL 025 08/04/40 08/04/40
05/07/40 05/07/40 OB 179 08/07/40 09/07/40
25/06/40 09/07/40 SL 037 12/07/40 12/07/40
06/07/40 15/07/40 BC A 16/07/40 16/07/40
21/07/40 21/07/40 OB 187 25/07/40 25/07/40
08/07/40 25/07/40 SL 039 29/07/40 29/07/40
29/07/40 30/07/40 OB 191 02/08/40 02/08/40
16/07/40 03/08/40 SL 040 08/08/40 08/08/40
10/08/40 10/08/40 ZA unknown 19/08/40
18/08/40 18/08/40 OB 200 21/08/40 22/08/40
11/08/40 22/08/40 HG 041 24/08/40 26/08/40
20/08/40 31/08/40 HX 067 04/09/40 04/09/40
21/09/40 21/09/40 OB 217 24/09/40 25/09/40
13/09/40 24/09/40 HX 073 28/09/40 28/09/40
01/10/40 01/10/40 OB 222 04/10/40 05/10/40
19/09/40 05/10/40 SL 048 09/10/40 09/10/40
23/10/40 24/10/40 OB 233 27/10/40 27/10/40
16/10/40 28/10/40 HX 081 01/11/40 02/11/40
29/10/40 10/11/40 SC 010 13/11/40 13/11/40
20/11/40 20/11/40 OB 246 24/11/40 24/11/40
04/11/40 24/11/40 SL 054 26/11/40 26/11/40
30/11/40 02/12/40 OB 252 06/12/40 04/12/40
25/11/40 06/12/40 HX 091 10/12/40 11/12/40
26/02/41 28/02/41 OB 291 03/03/41 03/03/41
10/02/41 04/03/41 SL 065 08/03/41 08/03/41
01/03/41 15/03/41 HX 112 19/03/41 20/03/41
27/03/41 27/03/41 OG 057 01/04/41 11/04/41
31/03/41 13/04/41 HX 118 18/04/41 18/04/41
10/04/41 21/04/41 HX 120 29/04/41 29/04/41
20/04/41 04/05/41 HX 122 08/05/41 08/05/41
12/05/41 12/05/41 OB 322 18/05/41 20/05/41
06/05/41 18/05/41 HX 125A 22/05/41 22/05/41
28/05/41 28/05/41 OB 327 01/06/41 01/06/41
20/05/41 unknown HX 128 06/06/41 06/06/41
10/06/41 10/06/41 OB 333 14/06/41 21/06/41
04/06/41 15/06/41 HG 064 19/06/41 19/06/41
24/06/41 24/06/41 OG 066 29/06/41 08/07/41
08/06/41 29/06/41 SL 077 03/07/41 03/07/41
12/07/41 12/07/41 OG 068 18/07/41 26/07/41
24/07/41 25/07/41 OS 001 26/07/41 10/08/41
18/07/41 28/07/41 HG 068 02/08/41 02/08/41
24/07/41 11/08/41 SL 082 15/08/41 15/08/41
23/08/41 23/08/41 OS 004 28/08/41 11/09/41
25/08/41 11/09/41 SL 085 17/09/41 17/09/41
02/09/41 12/09/41 HG 072 17/09/41 17/09/41
25/09/41 25/09/41 ON 020 30/09/41 09/10/41
24/09/41 04/10/41 SC 046 10/10/41 10/10/41
17/01/42 29/01/42 SC 065 01/02/42 04/02/42
14/02/42 28/02/42 ON 067 01/03/42 01/03/42
03/03/42 03/03/42 HX 178 07/03/42 17/03/42
05/03/42 16/03/42 ON 073 18/03/42 16/03/42
30/03/42 30/03/42 SC 077 03/04/42 16/04/42
17/04/42 17/04/42 SC 080 22/04/42 03/05/42
10/05/42 10/05/42 HX 189 13/05/42 20/05/42
06/05/42 17/05/42 ON 092 21/05/42 21/05/42
21/05/42 21/05/42 XB 021 22/05/42 23/05/42
05/06/42 05/06/42 SC 086 08/06/42 20/06/42
05/06/42 14/06/42 ON 101 18/06/42 18/06/42
26/06/42 26/06/42 SC 089 29/06/42 11/07/42
26/06/42 05/07/42 ON 107 unknown 09/07/42
10/07/42 10/07/42 BX 028B 12/07/42 12/07/42
17/07/42 17/07/42 SC 092 19/07/42 31/07/42
17/07/42 26/07/42 ON 113 31/07/42 31/07/42
09/08/42 09/08/42 HX 202 12/08/42 21/08/42
02/08/42 14/08/42 ON 118 unknown 20/08/42
21/08/42 21/08/42 BX 034C 23/08/42 23/08/42
29/08/42 29/08/42 SC 098 02/09/42 13/09/42
28/08/42 07/09/42 ON 125 10/09/42 12/09/42
29/08/42 16/09/42 ON 126 18/09/42 18/09/42
11/09/42 22/09/42 ON 129 25/09/42 25/09/42
01/10/42 01/10/42 HX 210 04/10/42 16/10/42
26/09/42 14/10/42 ON 134 17/10/42 17/10/42
18/10/42 18/10/42 HX 212 21/10/42 02/11/42
24/10/42 27/10/42 SC 107 01/11/42 10/11/42
25/10/42 03/11/42 ON 141 07/11/42 10/11/42
19/11/42 19/11/42 HX 216 22/11/42 06/12/42
25/11/42 28/11/42 SC 111 01/12/42 17/12/42
28/07/43 31/07/43 KMS 022G 09/08/43 09/08/43
05/09/43 05/09/43 KMS 026G 18/09/43 18/09/43
25/09/43 25/09/43 MKS 025G 08/10/43 08/10/43
17/10/43 17/10/43 KMS 030G 01/11/43 01/11/43
03/11/43 03/11/43 MKS 029G 17/11/43 18/11/43
25/11/43 02/12/43 OS 060KM 07/12/43 07/12/43
07/12/43 07/12/43 KMS 034G 09/12/43 09/12/43
13/12/43 13/12/43 MKS 033G 14/12/43 14/12/43
14/12/43 14/12/43 SL 142MK 24/12/43 28/12/43
20/02/44 20/02/44 JW 057 28/02/44 28/02/44
02/03/44 02/03/44 RA 057 10/03/44 10/03/44
27/03/44 29/03/44 JW 058 04/04/44 04/04/44
07/04/44 07/04/44 RA 058 12/04/44 14/04/44
28/04/44 28/04/44 RA 059 03/05/44 06/05/44
26/05/44 26/05/44 WP 528 28/05/44 28/05/44
13/06/44 13/06/44 EBC 011 16/06/44 16/06/44
07/07/44 07/07/44 EBC 034 09/07/44 unknown
16/07/44 16/07/44 EBC 043 18/07/44 18/07/44
19/07/44 19/07/44 FBC 031 21/07/44 21/07/44
25/07/44 25/07/44 EBC 052 27/07/44 27/07/44
28/07/44 28/07/44 FBC 039 30/07/44 30/07/44
20/10/44 20/10/44 JW 061 28/10/44 28/10/44
02/11/44 02/11/44 RA 061 09/11/44 09/11/44
12/12/44 12/12/44 DS 060 14/12/44 14/12/44
15/12/44 15/12/44 SD 060 19/12/44 19/12/44
30/12/44 30/12/44 JW 063 08/01/45 08/01/45
11/01/45 11/01/45 RA 063 21/01/45 21/01/45