Remembered this Day: Lieutenant Frank B. Walker, 7th/9th Royal Scots

Discussion in 'All Anniversaries' started by Joe Brown, Nov 2, 2012.

  1. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    My Brother Officer of the 7th/9th (Highlanders) Battalion The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), Killed in Action this Day in Flushing, 2nd November 1944. Remembered with Honour.

    Joe Brown.
     
  2. La-de-da-Gunner Graham

    La-de-da-Gunner Graham Senior Member

    Frank Bingley Walker
    Lieutenant 267221
    Buried: Bergen-op-Zoom
    on of George Dutton Walker and Annie Walker; nephew of Ethel M. Walker, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

    :poppy: Remembered with honour.
     
  3. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Joe, I'm going that way soon and will put a poppy cross down for Frank on your behalf.

    Forgotten battles those, sadly. Hoping to redress that a bit with a new battlefield tour in that area in 2013/14.
     
  4. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Paul:

    That is very good of you. Frank was a splendid colleague, slightly older than the rest of the lieutenants in the Battalion, a piper smoker, quite reflective in demeanor whose peacetime hobby was mountaineering. He, sadly, was our first casualty.

    Tomorrow I put another remembrance note to commemorate 20 more Royal Scots killed in the epic battle to captured the German Command Post in Flushing. All my brave colleages lie together in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Bergen-op-Zoom.

    It so long ago, but the faces and personalities of these lads are still very fresh in my mind . . . and may that always be so.

    My warmest thanks to you for your kind thoughtfulness.

    Joe.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Joe,
    Paul just text me, he will be there this afternoon & will take a photo of Frank's grave for you.
     
  6. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Owen.

    Thanks for the message. That is most kind and thoughtful of Paul.

    Joe
     
  7. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Joe - on crabby French wifi so cannot upload any pics. Hope to mail them to Owen to post here.

    It was a cold crisp day, but your men were remembered.
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Paul has just emailed me this photo of Lt Walker's headstone he took yesterday afternoon.

    HE DIED AS HE LIVED
    COURAGEOUSLY
     

    Attached Files:

    Paul Reed likes this.
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    If I get time I'll try and get the battalions war diary pages for the period when I next visit Kew.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    A photo I took a couple of years ago.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Dear Paul and Owen,


    My grateful thanks to you Both for the tribute you have paid to my two colleagues Lieutenant Walker and Private Whitworth .

    Frank was a courageous guy and the oldest of the Lieutenants in the Battalion when I joined the 7th/9th Royal Scots. You will note he was 40 years of age when killed; our first casualty after we landed in Walcheren.

    The son of his Company Commander who forced the surrender of the General Commanding Fortress Walcheren along with 2000 of his men and who now lives in America is writing a book about his late father. I will send him a copy of the Memorial Stones of both these colleagues who were along side his father when this deed was done..

    Private Whitworth was the in the last Buffalo advancing on a route through heavy flood water from the Scheldt (which I had 'recced' the day before) and had to pass through a heavily mined area with strings of overhead explosive devices mounted on poles as anti-landing hazards. During the advance it was reported there was a possible enemy position the column was passing and they were ordered to investigate. The Buffalo struck a mine and was blown up and all the lads were thrown into the deep muddy but very cold sea water. The WO2 was badly wounded but the lads when they surfaced saw that one of their colleagues had not done so and despite suffering the severe shock of being blown up they all immediately dived repeatedly back into the water to try and find their comrade but to no avail. Private W. Whitworth was initially posted as missing until his young body was recovered later.

    These two Royal Scots would be quietly proud they are Remember in this way. It is what I like about the Forum; the lads who did not return to their loved ones are not forgotten. When daily I read these Acts of Remembrance, I quietly thank those who undertake this noble task.

    Regards and thanks to you Both.

    Joe
     
  12. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Dear Luke,

    Thanks for kindly putting on the Forum extracts from Augustus Muir's First of Foot. We are pleased we had him write this history of The Royal Scots as many of us gathered round him to give our accounts at first hand at a time when our memories were still fresh in our young minds.

    I don't have the War Diary pages for our operation in Middelburg and would value having them and would like, if I may, publish them in my Memoirs. I believe as Intelligence Officer I would have written them!

    Warm regards,

    Joe
     
  13. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Dear Ramcal,

    You will see I have written to Paul and Owen about Frank.

    Warm regards and thanks for your kindness.

    Joe.
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Joe-When did you join the battalion and when did you leave? No promises but I may have time next month to copy the lot for you.
     
  15. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Drew:

    I was with the Battalion until wounded at Heinsberg on 25th January 1945.

    Joe
     

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