Captain Frederic John Walker

Captain Frederic John Walker, CB, DSO and three Bars, RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy famous for his exploits during World War II. Walker was the most successful anti-submarine warfare commander during the Battle of the Atlantic and was known more popularly as Johnnie Walker (after the whisky).

Walker was born 3 June 1896 in Plymouth, the son of Frederic John and Selina Walker. He went to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, where he excelled. First serving on the battleship Ajax as a midshipman, Walker, as a sub-lieutenant, went on to join the destroyers Mermaid and Sarpedon in 1916 and 1917 respectively. Following the end of the First World War, Walker joined the Queen Elizabeth-class battleship Valiant.

He married Jessica Eileen Ryder Stobart, with whom he had three sons and a daughter.

HMS Stork

Due to the commencement of the Second World War in 1940  Walker was appointed as Operations Staff Officer to Vice-Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. Even so, Walker still had not been given a command, despite expertise in anti-submarine warfare that would no doubt be indispensable in the Battle of the Atlantic. Walker finally received a command in October 1941, taking control of the 36th Escort Group and flying his flag in the Bittern class sloop Stork. The escort group comprised two sloops (including Stork) and six corvettes and was based in Liverpool, home of Western Approaches Command.

Walker on the attack!

His first chance to test his innovative methods in countering the U-boat menace came in December when his group escorted Convoy HG76 (32 ships). During the course of the convoy's journey five U-boats were sunk (four by Walker's group).

HMS Starling

In 1942 Walker left the 36th Group and became Captain (D) Liverpool, granting him some respite to recuperate. He finally returned to a ship command when he became commander of the Second Support Group in 1943, consisting of six sloops. Walker flew his flag in Starling, a newly-commissioned Black Swan-class sloop. The group was the first hunter-killer group intended to actively hunt and destroy the U-boats that lurked in the Atlantic rather that be merely restricted to escorting convoys. Walker had suggested the innovative idea to Commander-in-Chief Western Approaches

Launching the depth charges

One highly successful tactic employed by Walker was for three or more sloops in line to launch depth charges to saturate the area with depth charges in a manner similar to a rolling barrage by artillery that precedes an infantry attack.

During this concerted effort Walker's dedication to his tasks was tremendous; he took no respite from his duties which would ultimately contribute to his death. Walker suffered a cerebral thrombosis on 7 July 1944 and died two days later at the Naval Hospital at Seaforth, Merseyside aged 48, his death was ultimately attributed to overwork and exhaustion. His funeral service took place at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral with full naval honours and attended by about 1,000 people. The scene was quite emotional as the naval procession followed, travelling through the streets of Liverpool to the docks where he embarked aboard the destroyer Hesperus for his final journey to be buried at sea.

Walker's Statue at the Pier Head, Liverpool

Walker sank more U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic than any other British or Allied commander and was instrumental in the Allied victory of the Battle of the Atlantic, arguably one of the most pivotal campaigns during the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) four times and also became a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). In 1998 a statue of Captain Johnnie Walker in a typical pose was unveiled at the Pier Head in Liverpool by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.

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