Background
Walker was born 24 August 1912 in West Garforth, Leeds and studied at Saint Bees School in Cumberland, and Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge.
Walker was born 24 August 1912 in West Garforth, Leeds and studied at Saint Bees School in Cumberland, and Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge.
Street Catharine"s College.
He played rugby for Yorkshire & England twice in 1939. He joined the Royal Air Force from University in 1934. In November 1940 during the Second World War he was appointed Officer Commanding Number.
While working as Station Commander at Royal Air Force Syerston he rushed in a fire truck from the control tower to a taxiing Lancaster bomber when he saw it was on fire.
He then tried to remove incendiary bombs from under the bomb bay in the hope that he could prevent a 4,000Ib bomb from exploding, but it detonated and he lost his right arm as a result. Returning to active service with an artificial arm, he was referred to by personnel as the one-armed bandit.
In February 1945 he was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Number. 4 Group and went on to receive the Croix de Guerre and Légion d"honneur.
After the War he was appointed Deputy Director of Operational Training at the Air Ministry before taking up the role of Senior Air Staff Officer for the Rhodesian Air Training Group in 1948.
He became Air Officer Commanding Number. 1 Group in October 1956, Chief Information Officer at the Air Ministry in 1959 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Flying Training Command in 1961. He held the post of Inspector-General of the Royal Air Force from 1964 to 1966 when he became Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Central Europe.
He continued his interest in rugby, acting as a referee and being President of the Rugby Union in 1965-1966.
He retired in 1970. Following his retirement he carried out various voluntary activities, notably for the Royal Air Forces Association, including the role of President. He died 11 December 1986 in King"s Lynn, Norfolk.
He had one brother called John James Rolph Walker, born in 1909.