William Walker (RAF officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Walker
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| Born | 24 August 1913 |
| Died | 21 October 2012 (aged 99) |
| Nationality |  United Kingdom |
| Occupation | RAF Pilot |
| Known for | Oldest surviving RAF pilot of the Battle of Britain |
Flight Lieutenant William Louis Buchanan Walker (born August 24, 1913 – died October 21, 2012) was a very important pilot. When he passed away, he was the oldest pilot still alive who had fought in the famous Battle of Britain. His poem, called "Our Wall," is carved onto a special stone. This stone is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne in Kent, England.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Walker was born in Hampstead, London, on August 24, 1913. He went to a private school called Brighton College in Brighton, East Sussex. After finishing school, William decided to follow in his father's footsteps. He started working in the brewing business, which is how beer is made. In 1931, he began learning the trade at a brewery in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Two years later, in 1933, he moved to the Ind Coope brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.
Joining the Royal Air Force
William Walker joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve on September 2, 1938. This was a group of people who trained to be pilots in case of war. He started his pilot training at RAF Kidlington in Oxford. He flew his first plane all by himself on September 28, 1938.
When World War II began on September 1, 1939, William was called up to serve. He continued his training and became an officer. On June 18, 1940, he officially became a pilot officer.
Flying in the Battle of Britain
Soon after becoming an officer, William was sent to No. 616 Squadron RAF. This squadron was based at RAF Leconfield and flew the amazing Supermarine Spitfire planes. It was with this squadron that William would fight in the Battle of Britain.
The Battle of Britain was a huge air battle fought in 1940. British pilots defended the UK from attacks by the German air force, called the Luftwaffe.
On August 15, William's squadron was sent to stop a Luftwaffe attack in northern England. They successfully shot down six enemy bombers. A few days later, on August 19, his squadron moved to RAF Kenley near London.
Shot Down Over the English Channel
On August 26, 1940, William's squadron was sent to stop 40 German bombers. Over Dover, they were attacked by German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter planes. During this fight, William's Spitfire was hit by a famous German pilot named Werner Mölders.
William's plane was badly damaged, and the controls stopped working. He also got a bullet in his right ankle. He had to jump out of his plane from very high up, about 20,000 feet! He landed in the cold English Channel.
William managed to hold onto a shipwreck on the Goodwin Sands. Luckily, a fishing boat found him and pulled him out of the water. He was then taken to shore at Ramsgate, Kent. The local hospital was damaged, so he went to a hospital at RAF Halton. William kept the bullet from his ankle as a souvenir of his incredible escape.
After His Recovery
After six months of getting better, William was sent to a unit that delivered new planes from factories to other air force groups. On June 18, 1941, he was promoted to flying officer. Later, he joined No. 116 Squadron RAF, which helped with anti-aircraft defense. On June 18, 1942, he became a flight lieutenant. He left the military in September 1945.
Because he was one of "The Few" pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain, he received a special medal called the 1939–45 Star with a Battle of Britain clasp.
Life After the War
After leaving the Royal Air Force, William Walker went back to his old job in brewing. He became the chairman of the Ind Coope brewery in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.
When he retired, William started writing poetry. He also strongly supported the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust. He often attended the yearly remembrance events at the Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne. In July 2010, his poem 'Our Wall' was carved onto the monument. This happened during the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain. He was also in a BBC documentary in 2011 called "Battle of Great Britain."
William Walker passed away on October 21, 2012, after having a stroke a few days earlier.
Family Life
In August 1941, William Walker married Claudine Mawby. They had seven children together. One of their children, Tim Walker, became a writer for a newspaper. Sadly, two of their children passed away before their parents. William and Claudine had separated but were not divorced when Claudine died on September 13, 2012.
