James Arthur "Johnny" Walker

RAF   F/L   -   DFC  &  Bar

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WALKER, F/O James Arthur (40768) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.111 Squadron
Awarded as per London Gazette dated 6 September 1940.

This officer has shown himself to be a keen and steady pilot and has displayed magnificent courage in the face of superior numbers of enemy aircraft. Since the middle of May he has shot down at least six enemy aircraft.

NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/9456 has original recommendation dated 17 August 1940 which does not differ materially from the above. It was endorsed and supported by Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park, Air Officer Commanding, No.11 Group, on 22 August 1940 and approved by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding on 24 August 1940.

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Born in Gleichen, Alberta, 1 January 1918;
Son of George Henry and Edith Walker, of Gleichen
Educated there.
Appointed Acting P/O on Prob. RAF, 7 May 1938
Served in
No.111 Sq., outbreak of war to 25 April 1941
Then posted to No.57 OTU;
Posted to No.94 Squadron, May 1942;
Served with 111, 603, 610, 112, 250 & 31 Sqs

Killed 8 February 1944 in India

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Air Force Casualties

Ottawa, March 16, 1944 — The Department' of National Defense for Air today issued the following casualty list, No. 832, of the R.C.A.F., showing next of kin of Ontario men named, as follows:
CANADIAN IN ROYAL AIR FORCE
Missing After Air Operations Overseas
WALKER, James Arthur, D.F.C., Flt.-Lt., R.A.F. Gleichen, Alta.

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Specifically listed in AFRO 1292/41 dated 7 November 1941 as a Canadian in the RAF who had been decorated as of that date. AFRO 971/44 dated 5 May 1944 (reporting his death) also identified him as a Canadian in the RAF. Air Ministry Bulletin 1591 refers.

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Air Force Casualties

Ottawa, April 27, 1944 — The Department of National Defense for Air today issued casualty list No. 868 of the Royal Canadian Air Force showing next of kin of Ontario include:
CANADIAN IN ROYAL AIR FORCE
Reported Killed Overseas
WALKER, James Arthur - DFC, Flt-Lt., R.A.F., Gleichen, Alberta

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Victories Include :

18 May 1940

31 May 1940
  7 June 1940
11 june 1940
13 Aug 1940
16 Aug 1940
  1 Jan 1941
17 Mar 1941		 one Hs126
one He111
one Me109
one Me109
one Do17
one Do17
one Me109
1/3 Ju88
one Ju88		 destroyed *
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
probable
damaged

* This was shared
6.? / .33 / 1 - All with 111 Squadron

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WALKER, JAMES ARTHUR S/L (P) 40768 D.F.C. & Bar - Royal Air Force. From Gleichen. Alberta. Killed In Action Feb.8/44 age 25. #31 Squadron (In Caelum Indicum Primus). S/L. Walker was an ace, credited with destroying nine enemy aircraft. He was in the Battles of France and Britain and was with #111 Squadron flying Hurricane aircraft over Dunkirk when he shot down four aircraft in May and June, and three more in August of 1940. S/L. Walker flew Spitfire aircraft with #610 Squadron and was assigned to the Middle East with #94 Squadron to fly Hurricanes in 1941; in 1943 he went to India to Command #31 Squadron. One of the Sqdn. pilots ex F/O Andy Russel D.F.C. of Indian Head, Saskatchewan recalls the following, "S/L Walker's instructions in what to do in case they were attacked were, "dive for the ground in all directions." When Japanese Zero fighter aircraft attacked the Squadron every pilot followed instructions except Walker, who stayed up there flying his Dakota aircraft in circles so the rest of us could escape, he should have got the V.C. for his sacrifice." S/L. Walker and his brother George were two of the very few brothers who were each awarded a D.F.C. George earned his D.F.C. in early 1940 before his #58 Squadron Whitley aircraft was shot down and he was taken Prisoner Of War. He was shot down a week before he was to be married. George died in 1982. Squadron Leader Pilot Walker has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Singapore War Memorial, Malaya.

quoted from "They Shall Not Grow Old" by Les Allison & Harry Hayward

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check this out :

Rob, the guy who handles that site has hooked me up with a number of pix including this one

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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On these pages I use Hugh Halliday's extensive research (which includes info from numerous sources), newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC) as well as other sources both published and private

 

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