RIP William Walker

I couldn’t believe my seat allocation next to this remarkable gentleman. Hardtarget, I don’t know about you, but it was a seriously hard call to commit to that flight. But I can see now especially, that to be part of that tribute in such distinguished company was worth it. Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts.

Quite agree, somethings you cant put a price on especially a once in a lifetime event. Never again will that happen and is even more poingant now that the few are getting fewer. Such an honour to be in the comany of some of the few.

I sat next to Edward Fox (actor in BOB) and the then secretary state of defence, Dr Fox in Seat 22C. Both seemed nice chaps too.

It was so sad to hear of his passing on the news yesterday 🙁 He lived to an incredible age though and looked really well too!

I did notice that there was mention of him in the daily mirror today, on page 29 I think.. a small piece which was followed by an article about a baby girl beating cancer.. while on the front page was the new bond movie. I guess the UK now prefers fiction over fact nowadays.

This is most sad, i met him on the BOB commemorative flight in 2010 and only say a few rows back, he seemed a pleasant chap and was very talkative in the foyer awaiting our flight. Blue skies sir, you will live long in the memory of your poems.

I couldn’t believe my seat allocation next to this remarkable gentleman. Hardtarget, I don’t know about you, but it was a seriously hard call to commit to that flight. But I can see now especially, that to be part of that tribute in such distinguished company was worth it. Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts.

Chris Evans spoke about William this morning, not all his Chris’s facts were correct but he mentioned William and played him reciting a poem on national radio, think that deserves to be mentioned as i cant remember any one else ever doing that at a passing of a BoB pilot. Anyway ive just emailed the BBC2 brekfast show to thank them for doing that. Doubt i will receive any responce but thought it was worth a thank you. (oh and also mentioned there is a Hurricane up foe auction that Chris might like to buy)

ITV London news mentioned Spitfire pilot, accompanied by film of Hurricanes taking off, followed by mention of ” Nazi Luftwaffe ” Gawd give me strength !

Here is the Daily Mail tribute to the ‘Few’…….with Meteors.
You couldn’t make it up could you….damned disgrace by the BBC & the Daily Mail.
Who do they employ nowadays..day release prisoners ?

They fought the most important battle this country ever faced and their victory saved Britain from the tyranny of Nazi Germany.
The heroes of the Battle of Britain repelled Hitler’s Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940, although only around 70 of them are still alive.
At the time were in their late teens or early 20s when they took to the skies in Spitfires and Hurricanes from July to October 1940. Others flew in Blenheims, Beaufighters and Defiants, becoming the ‘aces’ of the Battle, shooting down plane after plane.
During the Battle, Sir Winston Churchill said: ‘The gratitude of every home in our island, in our empire, and indeed throughout the world, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion.

‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’

When it was over, 544 RAF pilots and aircrew were dead and had made the ultimate sacrifice to keep generations of Britons safe

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221792/Oldest-surviving-pilot-fight-Battle-Britain-Spitfire-shot-dies-aged-99.html#ixzz2A8BHhD16
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Calm down, they have changed the picture and there is a Spitfire now. At least his passing is not going unremarked by the media which was a complaint earlier on in this thread.

This is most sad, i met him on the BOB commemorative flight in 2010 and only say a few rows back, he seemed a pleasant chap and was very talkative in the foyer awaiting our flight. Blue skies sir, you will live long in the memory of your poems.

So, Dr North forgot to reveal the real secret of the Battle of Britain.

A squadron of Meteors…!

I don’t recall that being in the narrative.

Just for William Walker’s sake, what a shame they couldn’t at least get that right for him.

Here is the Daily Mail tribute to the ‘Few’…….with Meteors.
You couldn’t make it up could you….damned disgrace by the BBC & the Daily Mail.
Who do they employ nowadays..day release prisoners ?

They fought the most important battle this country ever faced and their victory saved Britain from the tyranny of Nazi Germany.
The heroes of the Battle of Britain repelled Hitler’s Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940, although only around 70 of them are still alive.
At the time were in their late teens or early 20s when they took to the skies in Spitfires and Hurricanes from July to October 1940. Others flew in Blenheims, Beaufighters and Defiants, becoming the ‘aces’ of the Battle, shooting down plane after plane.
During the Battle, Sir Winston Churchill said: ‘The gratitude of every home in our island, in our empire, and indeed throughout the world, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion.

‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’

When it was over, 544 RAF pilots and aircrew were dead and had made the ultimate sacrifice to keep generations of Britons safe

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221792/Oldest-surviving-pilot-fight-Battle-Britain-Spitfire-shot-dies-aged-99.html#ixzz2A8BHhD16
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

His father was a brewer and also ended up as Chairman of Ind Coope! Beer and WW2 flying do seem to have been a strong partnership!

Spitfire pilot and later Chairman of Ind Coope….a life well lived!

BBC news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20040676

And Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221792/Oldest-surviving-pilot-fight-Battle-Britain-Spitfire-shot-dies-aged-99.html

Indeed! The BBC….? Perhaps they have matters on their mind…..

I forgot to say that on the radio this morning he was described as “the last surviving spitfire pilot”. Surely they meant the oldest. You’d think that out of respect they would take the time and trouble to get it right.

I met him back in 2008 I think it was at the Science Museum in London where he was attending the drinks reception for the unveiling of the Spitfire display. I didn’t get a chance to speak to him during the evening but met him as we waited to get our coats. We talked briefly about his wartime experiences and in particular how he had to exit his Spitfire over water, he said at the time he was more worried about drowning than having been shot! A remarkable man who even then in his nineties had crossed London on the tube, on his own, to get to the event. It was a chilly evening and as he walked away I remember feeling that we would never see the likes of him again, a true gentleman.

Today’s DT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/9626438/Flight-Lieutenant-William-Walker.html

Blue skies Sir.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjxEK9DL6W0 RIP Sir.

Yes. What more is there to say? – so simple and so moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjxEK9DL6W0 RIP Sir.

I purchased Williams book of poetry from Vector at Duxford ealier this year and asked him to sign it. He then asked if i’d read his poem about sausages, said it was one of his favourites and then recited it out loud, without reference and with the correct emphasis on each line. I hope no one objects but this is that poem

Nobody gives a sausage

A sausage is a wonderous thing,
Much pleasure it can often bring.
Yet in my book of great quotations,
Nobody famous even mentions
A sausage of whatever kind,
The name is simply not enshrined.
It seems to me a dreadful shame,
A Sausage has no quoted fame.

RIP William

Thank you very much for sharing that. It epitomises the man I had the pleasure of meeting on one occasion. Friendly, humorous and courteous. An example.