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Auction: 1008 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 9

A Fine 1945 ´Operation Veritable´ D.S.O. Group of Six to Major H.J. Walker, Royal Norfolk Regiment, Attached Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry; Earlier in the War Mentioned in Despatches For His Gallant Leadership In Carrying Out a Fighting Withdrawal Along the Normandy Coast In June 1940, Where He Led 19 Men of the 7th Norfolks In a Daring Escape From France In A Fishing Boat: Under Heavy Machine-Gun Fire They Used Shovels And Rifle Butts as Makeshift Oars; After Three Hours´ ´Rowing´ Off The French Coast They Were Eventually Picked Up By H.M.S. Harvester and Returned To Portsmouth- They Were The Only Members of the Battalion to Escape Capture a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated ´1945´, with integral top riband bar b) 1939-1945 Star c) France and Germany Star d) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf e) Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., with Territorial scroll suspension (Captain H.J. Walker. Norfolk.), nearly extremely fine, with the recipient´s miniature awards, and the following related items: - Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service Order, named to Captain H.J. Walker, and dated 11.10.1945, contained in a glazed frame - Mentioned in Despatches Certificate, dated 20.12.1940, contained in a glazed frame - D.S.O. Case of issue - The recipient´s Norfolk Regiment lapel Badge, silver - Commemorative medal for the Battles of the Somme 1914-18 and 1940, bronze, in card box of issue, with accompanying certificate, named to Harold James Walker, and dated 24.8.1990 - Two portrait photographs, one of the recipient, and one of the recipient with his wife - Copies of two newspaper cuttings regarding the award of the D.S.O., both dated October 1945 (6) Estimate £ 2,400-2,800 D.S.O. London Gazette 11.10.1945 Major (temporary) Harold James Walker (105507), The Royal Norfolk Regiment (Sanderstead, Surrey) ´In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe´ The Recommendation states: ´On the 8th February 1945, "B" Company 43rd Light Infantry commanded by Major Walker was ordered to capture the Brandenburg feature on the North East corner of the Reichswald Forest. This involved crossing the bare glacis slopes leading up to the edge of the forest. The left flank- which was also the inter-divisional boundary- was quite open; the enemy automatic fire from the edge of the wood was heavy, with sporadic shelling; wireless communications were very bad; and Major Walker could not get in touch with his Regimental Headquarters. He therefore decided to press on at all costs- irrespective of progress on his flanks- and to secure his objective. With characteristic disregard for his own safety he quickly restored order to a slightly chaotic situation and leading his Company charged the objective, which he secured together with over twenty prisoners, thereby securing a most important tactical feature and materially helping the advance of attacking formations on his flanks. On the night of the 16th February, 1945, "B" Company carried out a night attack on the farm buildings at Asperberg to the east of the Reichswald. This attack, carried out in the face of fierce opposition from hard fighting German parachutists, was a complete success, and resulted in the capture of fifteen prisoners and many killed. The success of the operation was entirely due to Major Walker´s careful planning and inspiring presence. In other attacks, notably at Wesse, Kavaleer, Issum, Winterswijk, Iddenburen, Gross Hauslingen adn Verdun, Major Walker´s skilful handling of his company and his complete contempt of danger has inspired his company and indeed the whole Regiment, and made every operation undertaken by him- including Normandy- outstanding successes. Major Walker has appeared to bear a charmed life, and the fact that he had survived to command his company in a regiment which had had twenty six changes of company Commanders in eight months is in direct contradiction to his utter disregard of his own life. By his personal example and skilful handling and administration, Major Walker has contributed in a very large measure to the Allied Victory.´ M.I.D. London Gazette 20.12.1940 2/Lt. H. S. Walker, The Royal Norfolk Regiment ´In recognition of distinguished services in connection with operations in the field, March-June, 1940.´ Major Harold James ´Jim´ Walker, D.S.O., was born in Hornsey, Middlesex, 20.11.1916, and educated at Eastbourne College. Employed before the War with Westminster Bank, he was a prominent member of the bank´s Rugby XV, and played in several big representative games for the London Banks. At the outbreak of War he enlisted in the Artists Rifles, before being Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Norfolk Regiment, 19.11.1939, serving with the 7th Battalion in France in 1940 as part of the 51st Highland Division. Following spells in front of the Maginot Line, the Battalion became separated from the bulk of the British Expeditionary Force, which was pushed back to Dunkirk in May 1940. Instead, they continued a fighting retreat along the Normandy Coast, which ended in surrender at the fishing port of St. Valery en Caux, 12.6.1940. Second Lieutenant Walker did not surrender. Instead, he and his superior officer, Captain Colley, each took a fishing boat and loaded them with 19 men, in order to make their escape. The men in Captain Colley´s boat were unable to lower the mast to get it under the harbour bridge, and were taken prisoner; Walker´s boat lacked oars, but on the dockside they found four shovels, which supplemented their rifle butts as makeshift oars, and despite being machine-gunned, they were able to affect their escape. After three hours of rowing they were picked up by H.M.S. Harvester, and landed in Portsmouth the following day- the only survivors of the entire Battalion. Mentioned in Despatches for leading this daring escape, Walker was promoted Lieutenant and Temporary Captain, 26.1.1941, before returning to France shortly after D-Day. In August 1944 his Company participated in the Battle for Orne Bridgehead, in which his lifelong friend Captain David Jamieson was awarded the Victoria Cross. Advanced Captain and Temporary Major, 10.10.1944, Walker was given command of "B" Company, 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, a company which had had 26 changes of Commander in the previous eight months, and led them in the Battle of Reichswald Forest, February 1945, as part of Operation "Veritable", for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Major Walker never lost his affection for the Royal Norfolk Regiment, and for many years organised the annual reunion dinner in London. He died at home in Sutton, Surrey, 11.10.1997. The major beneficiary from the sale of this lot will be ABF The Soldiers´ Charity. Please see www.soldierscharity.org for more information.

Sold for
£4,000