Arnold Walker (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Arnold Edgar 'Blondie' Walker DFC
& Bar
was a British
fighter
pilot during World War II
who flew 169 sorties, was shot down three times, and won the Distinguished Flying Cross
twice.
, the son of a stonemason and builder, and youngest of three children, Walker (always known as 'Blondie') was educated at Heath Grammar School
but left school early, aged 15, to join his father's building firm; he did however continue to study three nights a week at technical college for the national building exam. However,at the ago of 18 his father died, leaving Blondie in charge. At the outbreak of war, construction was deemed a reserved occupation
, but he was "mad keen on flying" and immediately volunteered for the Royal Air Force
.
under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
. On completion of his training he was a sergeant
. He was then commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
(Service No 115919) as a pilot officer
on probation on 1 December 1941. He returned to the UK and converted to the Hurricane. He was then sent to the Middle East, sailing to Freetown
in Sierra Leone
before flying across the desert to Khartoum
and on to Port Said
where he was mostly protecting convoys. His first kill was a Junkers Ju 88
.
In August 1942, Walker joined No. 94 Squadron
, which soon received four Hawker Hurricane
s donated by Lady MacRobert
, whose three sons had died while serving in the RAF, one of them with No. 94 Squadron. Their names and coat of arms were painted on the nose of the aircraft, and Walker was allocated "Sir Roderic"
, which he flew during the North African campaign. He was promoted war substantive flying officer
on 1 October 1942.
After his experiences flying with No. 94 Squadron, Walker was offered an instructor's job. He did not want this, so volunteered to transfer to No. 6 Squadron RAF
who were preparing to join the war in Italy. He was promoted to war substantive flight lieutenant on 1 December 1943.
On 8 August 1944, he was awarded an "immediate" Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC), which is a field award, the citation read:
On 14 November 1944 he was awarded a bar
to his DFC.
However, on his return from operations in October 1944, Blondie was posted as an instructor on the Hawker Typhoon
, based in the New Forest
. He was released from RAF service in 1946.
Immediately after the war, Joseph Walker & Son built more than 2,000 council houses and 1,000 private houses. He continued to build houses in the Calderdale
area of West Yorkshire
for the next half century. He also had building interests in Perth, Western Australia, where he would later move to.
He was a Liberal
councillor
for Warley
Ward in Halifax during the early 1950s and was elected president of the Halifax Building Trades Council.
from 1948 until he was 80 years old. He was known in Kitzbühel as "Halifax", some locals even assuming he was the Earl of Halifax
.
He married three times. He married Maisie, who he had known since he was 18 before being sent to the Middle East in 1941. He had a son, Johnny who predeceased him in 2007, a daughter, Diana, three stepsons and two grandchildren, Melissa and Daniel.
In later life, Walker lived nine months of the year in Perth, spending the remainder in his hometown of Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
pilot during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who flew 169 sorties, was shot down three times, and won the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
twice.
Early life
Born in Warley Edge, Halifax, West YorkshireHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, the son of a stonemason and builder, and youngest of three children, Walker (always known as 'Blondie') was educated at Heath Grammar School
Heath Grammar School
Heath Grammar School, Free School Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England was founded in 1585 by Dr. John Favour. Its full title was The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth at Heath, near Halifax...
but left school early, aged 15, to join his father's building firm; he did however continue to study three nights a week at technical college for the national building exam. However,at the ago of 18 his father died, leaving Blondie in charge. At the outbreak of war, construction was deemed a reserved occupation
Reserved occupation
A reserved occupation is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service....
, but he was "mad keen on flying" and immediately volunteered for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
RAF career
Walker undertook pilot training in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
. On completion of his training he was a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. He was then commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
(Service No 115919) as a pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on probation on 1 December 1941. He returned to the UK and converted to the Hurricane. He was then sent to the Middle East, sailing to Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
before flying across the desert to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
and on to Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
where he was mostly protecting convoys. His first kill was a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
.
In August 1942, Walker joined No. 94 Squadron
No. 94 Squadron RAF
No. 94 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served during World War I & World War II. The squadron has been formed a total of four times.The squadron was formed at RAF Harling Road on 1 August 1917, as a training unit for the Sopwith Camel...
, which soon received four Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s donated by Lady MacRobert
MacRobert Baronets
The MacRobert Baronetcy, of Douneside in the County of Aberdeen, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 5 April 1922 for Alexander MacRobert, a self made millionaire. He was succeeded by his eldest son Alasdair in June of that year...
, whose three sons had died while serving in the RAF, one of them with No. 94 Squadron. Their names and coat of arms were painted on the nose of the aircraft, and Walker was allocated "Sir Roderic"
MacRobert's Reply
MacRobert's Reply was the name given to a famous World War II, Royal Air Force aircraft, a Short Stirling bomber, serial N6086 operated by No. 15 Squadron. The aircraft was paid for by a generous £25,000 donation from Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert, and was named 'MacRobert's Reply' in commemoration...
, which he flew during the North African campaign. He was promoted war substantive flying officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
on 1 October 1942.
After his experiences flying with No. 94 Squadron, Walker was offered an instructor's job. He did not want this, so volunteered to transfer to No. 6 Squadron RAF
No. 6 Squadron RAF
No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Leuchars.It was previously equipped with the Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until...
who were preparing to join the war in Italy. He was promoted to war substantive flight lieutenant on 1 December 1943.
On 8 August 1944, he was awarded an "immediate" Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC), which is a field award, the citation read:
On 14 November 1944 he was awarded a bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DFC.
However, on his return from operations in October 1944, Blondie was posted as an instructor on the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
, based in the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
. He was released from RAF service in 1946.
Postwar career
Walker returned to Halifax to re-establish the family building company, Joseph Walker & Son, which had been shut down during the war. He wrote a short memoir of his wartime experiences with the dedication: "To my two ground crew – without your fabulous service of my aircraft I would not be alive today".Immediately after the war, Joseph Walker & Son built more than 2,000 council houses and 1,000 private houses. He continued to build houses in the Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
area of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
for the next half century. He also had building interests in Perth, Western Australia, where he would later move to.
He was a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
for Warley
Warley
Warley is the name of several places in the United Kingdom:In the West Midlands:*County Borough of Warley*Warley, West Midlands*Warley *Warley High School*Warley WoodsIn Essex:*Great Warley*Little Warley...
Ward in Halifax during the early 1950s and was elected president of the Halifax Building Trades Council.
Personal life
Walker was known to be a fierce competitor in sport, business and life. He played golf off a handicap of four, was captain of West End Golf Club, Halifax and also made an honorary member of The Royal Perth Golf Club. He skied virtually every year in KitzbühelKitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
from 1948 until he was 80 years old. He was known in Kitzbühel as "Halifax", some locals even assuming he was the Earl of Halifax
Earl of Halifax
Earl of Halifax is a title that has been created four times in British history, once in the Peerage of England, twice in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The name of the peerage refers to Halifax, West Yorkshire....
.
He married three times. He married Maisie, who he had known since he was 18 before being sent to the Middle East in 1941. He had a son, Johnny who predeceased him in 2007, a daughter, Diana, three stepsons and two grandchildren, Melissa and Daniel.
In later life, Walker lived nine months of the year in Perth, spending the remainder in his hometown of Halifax, West Yorkshire.