Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Second World War North-West Europe operations D.S.O. group of six awarded to Major H. J. Walker, Royal Norfolk Regiment, attached Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry: having gained an early “mention” for his daring escape from France in June 1940 - in a fishing boat manned by a handful of survivors from the 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolks, with shovels and butts for oars, the whole under a heavy fire - he was decorated for his gallant part in Operation “Veritable” in February 1945, namely bitter fighting in the battle for Reichswald Forest in February 1945, throughout which he ‘appeared to bear a charmed life’

Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1945’, in its case of issue; 1939-1945 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45 M.I.D. oak leaf; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (Captain H. J. Walker, Norfolk.), together with a Norfolk Regiment lapel badge, silver, and Commemorative Medal for the Battles of the Somme 1914-18 and 1940, bronze, in card box of issue, good very fine (8) £3000-4000

D.S.O. London Gazette 11.10.1945:

‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe’.

The original recommendation states:

‘On the 8 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 16 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 and Verden, 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 26 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:

‘In recognition of distinguished services in connection with operations in the field, March-June 1940.’

Harold James “Jim” Walker was born in Hornsey, Middlesex in November 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.

Fall of France

At the outbreak of War he enlisted in the Artists Rifles, before being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Norfolk Regiment in November 1939. Posted to ‘C’ Company of the 7th Battalion in France in 1940, as part of the 51st Highland Division, he served in front of the Maginot Line but, in the chaotic fighting that followed the German invasion of the Low Countries, his Battalion became separated from the bulk of the B.E.F., which was pushed back to Dunkirk in May 1940.

Instead, the 7th continued a fighting retreat along the Normandy Coast, where it reached the fishing port of St. Valery en Caux on 10 June 1940. Of subsequent events - and Walker’s remarkable escape - Kemp’s History of the Royal Norfolk Regiment 1919-1951 takes up the story:

‘At 2345 hours the Battalion received orders to take up positions for embarkation. ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘H.Q.’ Companies were assembled in a sunken road outside the railway station, but on receipt of embarkation orders, ‘C’ Company concentrated on the beach, losing touch with the remainder of the Battalion. All guns, machine-guns, and vehicles were destroyed in readiness for the embarkation. But there were no boats, and at 0200 hours on 12 June the Divisional Commander, after consultation with the senior French officer present, ordered 51 Division, and the Battalion, to lie up in the woods a mile or so outside the town. The situation was now almost hopeless for there were no guns, no ammunition, no food. Already units which had been unable to reach St. Valery were surrendering in the surrounding villages where they had been cut off and at 1030 hours on the 12th, the remainder of the Division was ordered to lay down its arms.

There remained ‘C’ Company out of touch on the beach, and ‘D’ Company attached to the 1 Gordons near Cany. Captain Colley, O.C. ‘C’ Company, having lost touch with Battalion H.Q. and still unable to make contact with the remainder of the Battalion, decided to take up a defensive position in the pine woods to the south-west of the town. The operation was successfully carried out and the position held against frequent attacks. Eventually the enemy brought up tanks and, after the Company had suffered a few casualties, a withdrawal was made through the town to the port area. Captain Colley, in the continued absence of any orders, decided that the only thing to do was for three officers of the company to take parties of volunteers, and attempt to reach the ships which were thought to be lying a mile or two out to sea. The method of getting out was to be by small fishing boats which were lying alongside the jetty at the far end of the town.

After a hazardous journey through the town, Captain Colley and 2nd Lieutenant Walker, each with a party of about 18 men, secured boats. The parties got aboard by sliding down the mast, but 2nd Lieutenant Walker's boat was found to possess no oars. In their place they managed to secure four shovels and set out to sea using these as paddles. They were fired at by machine-guns but fortunately were not hit. After three hours they were able to attract the attention of H.M.S. Harvester and were taken on board. On the following day they were landed at Southampton, where they found another 11 men of ‘C’ Company. This party had made its way along the beach from St. Valery to Veules-les-Roses, where many troops had been picked up. Their journey along the beach had been a hazardous one, as they had been fired on by the enemy lining the cliffs, who had also rolled boulders down on them.

Captain Colley was less fortunate. His boat had a taller mast than that of 2nd Lieutenant Walker, and had been unable to get under a low bridge at the entrance to the harbour. It was forced to return. Captain Colley then attempted to lead his men to Veules-les-Roses, but was killed in the process.’

Walker was mentioned in despatches.

Normandy and beyond

Having been advanced to Captain in the interim, Walker commanded the 7th Battalion’s advance party on its arrival in Normandy in late June 1944.

He quickly gained appointment as an Acting Major with command of ‘C’ Company, in which capacity he first went into action in the battle for the Orne bridgehead in August 1944, where his lifelong friend, Captain David Jamieson, won the V.C. The fighting on the 7th-8th was particularly bitter, the Battalion - part of 176th Brigade - proving instrumental in facing off ‘the whole weight of one of the crack divisions of the German Army, the 12 S.S. (Hitler Jugend) Panzer Division’ (Kemp’s history, refers).

Following the Orne bridgehead operations, Walker was given command of ‘B’ Company, 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and it was in this capacity that he won his D.S.O. for Operation “Veritable”, the British and Canadian offensive between the River Maas and Rhine in February 1945; in Walker’s case, this proved to be the bitter fighting that took place in the battle for Reichswald Forest and, as cited above, it was a period of operations that witnessed the appointment of 26 Company Commanders in the 1st Battalion, owing to heavy casualties. He was awarded the D.S.O.

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 in October 1997.

Sold with the recipient’s original D.S.O. warrant, dated 11 October 1945, and M.I.D. certificate, dated 20 December 1940, both framed and glazed; together with Somme Commemorative Medal certificate, dated 24 August 1990, two portrait photographs - one of the recipient, and one of the recipient with his wife - and copies of two newspaper cuttings regarding the award of the D.S.O., both dated October 1945.