LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer John William WALKER
Service No: 402988
Born: Lismore NSW, 28 December 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 November 1940
Unit: No. 168 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 168 Squadron Mustang aircraft G474), France, 23 June 1944, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Hottot Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Calvados, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Lancelot and Louisa Clarice Walker, of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Lismore NSW
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Lismore Cenotaph, Lismore NSW
On 23 June 1944, Flight Lieutenant Lambert was briefed to lead Flying Officers Watson, Walker and Mitchell on a tactical reconnaissance of the roads Falais-Briouse-Alemon-Argentan in France. The Section took off from Odiham at 1430 hours and made landfall at Osbeurge at 1505 hours. The clouds at the time were 8/10ths at 3,000 feet very thin. During the sortie anti-aircraft fire was encountered. As the section was turning left near to Falaise at approximately 1535 hours, Flying Officers Walker and Mitchell were attacked by FW190s and immediately after Flight Lieutenant Lambert and Flying Officer Watson were attacked.
Flying Officer Walker said he was breaking for ground level and heading home. Mitchell last saw Walker turning and diving at about 1,000 feet with an FW190 on his tail. After a stern chase nearly to Caen, Lambert, Watson and Mitchell reformed over B2 and returned to base, calling Walker several times, but there was no reply. The FW190s were operating in pairs with one pair attacking each of us and two pairs flying above the engagement. The three aircraft landed at Odiham at 1645 hours, but G474 failed to return. G474 crashed approximately 3 miles west of Bayeux, Normandy and Flying Officer Walker was killed.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 1166/63/727
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line