Captain Frederic John Walker, CB, DSO & Three Bars (3 June 1896 – 9 July 1944) (his first name is given as Frederick in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography[1] and some London Gazette entries) was a British Royal Navy officer noted for his exploits during the Second World War.

Walker consequently became an expert in this particular type of warfare, and was appointed to a post specialising in this field, serving in a number of capital ships.

The escort group which consisted of two sloops (HMS Stork and Deptford[3]) and six corvettes was based in Gladstone Dock, Bootle near the home of the Western Approaches Command.

Walker's first chance to test his innovative methods against the U-boat menace came in December 1941, when his group escorted Convoy HG 76 (32 ships).

The Royal Navy's loss during the Battle for HG 76 was one escort carrier, Audacity, formerly the German vessel Hannover; one destroyer, Stanley, and two merchant ships.

He was given the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 6 January 1942, "For daring, skill and determination while escorting to this country a valuable Convoy in the face of relentless attacks from the Enemy, during which three of their Submarines were sunk and two aircraft destroyed by our forces".

Walker had suggested the innovative idea to the Commander-in-Chief Western Approaches Command, Sir Max Horton.

The combination of an active hunting group and a determined, and innovative anti-submarine specialist such as Walker proved to be a potent force.

[10] The groups returned with the 36-ship convoy RA 58, but despite intelligence of 16 U-boats in their path, no contacts were made due to adverse conditions affecting the ASDIC (sonar).

During this concerted effort Walker's dedication to his tasks was tremendous; he took no respite from his duties, which ultimately contributed to his death.

Later that year, once accustomed to air procedures, he was to be promoted to flag rank and given command of a carrier task force to be taken to the Pacific.

Another approach was the barrage attack, in which three or more sloops in line launched depth charges to saturate the area where the submarine might be.

[16] Walker suffered a cerebral thrombosis on 7 July 1944, and he died two days later at the Royal Naval Hospital at Seaforth, Merseyside, at the age of 48.

A naval procession followed, escorting the coffin through the streets of the city to the Pier Head, by the River Mersey, where it was embarked aboard the destroyer Hesperus, for a burial at sea.

[17] As Walker's Group had already steamed out for combat duty, most of the naval personnel who manned the funeral procession were from the Royal Canadian Navy.