HMS Walker

Vessel name on Arrival: HMS Walker

Original Builder: William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton

Original Yard No: 1082

Official Number: 107670

Vessel Type: destroyer

GRT: 1300

Year Built: 1918

Arrival Date: 15/03/1946

Breakup Started: 24/03/1946

Date First Beached: 02/12/1946

Date Breakup Completed: 05/02/1947

Draught For’d: 7' 5"

Draught Aft: 13' 3"

Name Changes:

Other Information:

 V & W Class Destroyer  –  Pennant No. D-27

09-12-1916  :  Ordered by Admiralty

26-03-1917  :  Keel Laid Down

29-11-1917  :  Launched

12-02-1918  :  Completed

LOA  :  95.1 metres  ( 309 feet )

LPP :   91.4 metres  ( 297 feet )

Beam  :  9.0 metres ( 29'  3" )

GRT  :  1,300 tons

DWT :  1,480 tons

 

The wartime Patrols of HMS Walker :

Served briefly in WWI.  After the Armistice, she was deployed in the Baltic and was in action against Russian warships.  In 1921 was in the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet.  Placed in Reserve after 1930.  Brought back into service in 1939 before the outbreak of WWII as part of the mobilisation of the Reserve Fleet, she provided Convoy Escort services over a 63 months period between November 1939 through January 1945.-, covering some 122 different Convoys in that time.

 

11 Sep 1939
HMS Walker (Cdr. W.J.C. Robertson, RN) and HMS Vanquisher (Lt.Cdr. K.H. Fraser, RN) collide with each other about 200 nautical miles south-west of Cape Clear while escorting convoy OB 2.  Both ships were heavily damaged. Vanquisher even had to be towed back to port. Vanquisher underwent repairs at Plymouth and Walker at HM Dockyard, Devonport, rejoining Flotilla on completion.

 

11 Jan 1940
the HMS Walker (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN) picks up 32 survivors from the British tanker El Oso that sank 6 nautical miles bearing 280 from the Bar Lightship, Liverpool in position 53º32'N, 03º25'W after hitting a mine laid on 6 January 1940 by the German submarine U-30

 

16 Mar 1941
HMS Walker (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN) picks up 38 survivors from the Canadian merchant J.B. White that was torpedoed and sunk in North Atlantic in position 60º57'N, 12º27'W by the German submarine U-99

 

17 Mar 1941
The German submarine U-99 was scuttled at 0343hrs on 17 March 1941 south-east of Iceland, in approximate position 61º00'N, 12º.00W', after being depth charged by the British destroyer HMS Walker (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN).

 

17 Mar 1941
The German submarine U-100 was sunk at 0318hrs on 17 March 1941 south-east of Iceland, in approximate position 61º.00'N, 12º.00'W, after being rammed and depth charged by the British destroyers HMS Walker (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN) and HMS Vanoc (Lt.Cdr. J.G.W. Deneys, RN).

 

The loss of U-99 and U-100 at the hands of HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc was extremely significant as these two boats were commanded by two of the WWII U-Boat aces, Otto Kretschmer and Joachim Schepke.

 

In late 1942 it was decided to convert HMS Walker for service as a Long Range Escort and this work was put in hand by Thames shipyard from january through May 1943, becoming operational again in July 1943.

 

In addition to convoy escort duties in the North Atlantic, North-West Approaches, WEstern Approaches and Russian convoys, from July 1943 through April 1944, HMS Walker took part in the Normany Landings in May and June 1944 (Operatio Neptune) after which resumed convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and on the Russian convoys until January 1945.  Resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties in February 1945 until March when she was deployed in Home Waters on convoy defence and anti-submarine operations.

 

At the end of hostilities, HMS Walker was paid off and reduced to reserve status until placed on the Disposal List.  Sold to BISCO in 1946 for breaking, she was towed to Troon for final disposal at the hands of WSSCL.