Francis Heathcote Gordon Walker
Captain Francis Heathcote Gordon Walker, Royal Navy (19 March, 1887 – 11 January, 1937) served in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Newport, Fife, Walker gained 2 and a half months' time on passing out of Britannia on 15 September, 1903. After a series of appointments in battleships and cruisers starting with Magnificent, Walker was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 25 November, 1908.[1]
Walker married Phyllis Duncombe Shute on 27 June, 1912 as he was finished up an appointment in Astræa on the China Station. He was appointed to Hindustan on 31 July, 1912 and would be in her through the first year and a half of the war.[2]
Great War
Walker was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 25 November, 1916.[3]
Post-War
Walker was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1920.[4]
He received a very uncharitable evaluation from "Sinclair" in April of 1927, calling him "too slow & his loyalty is questionable not suited for staff work." One from Bellairs issued at the same time, however, spoke well of him.[5]
Walker was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1928.[6]
Walker was appointed in command of the light cruiser Canterbury on 14 December, 1929.[7]
On 9 January, 1935, Walker was appointed in command of the battleship Iron Duke.[8]
In July of 1936, he was sent to the Air Ministry to assist with the "Meteor Case". This lasted just one month and he was appointed in command of Greenwich and as Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet and King's Harbour Master at Rosyth on 4 August, 1936. He soon fell seriously ill, and was treated on board for hemotosis on 10 September, being sent to a Hospital ashore that same day. Diagnoses extended to esophageal ulcer, and he briefly returned to duty, but in early January, 1937 he was placed in a nursing home in Dumferline. Walker died on the 11th of January.[9]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Guy C. C. Royle |
Captain of H.M.S. Canterbury 14 Dec, 1929[10][11] |
Succeeded by Claude C. Dobson |
| Preceded by Hamilton C. Allen |
Captain of H.M.S. Iron Duke 9 Jan, 1935[12][13] |
Succeeded by Charles Farquhar-Smith |
Footnotes
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Walker Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/73. f. 79.
- ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
- ↑ Day of month taken from predecessor's superseding date. Royle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. 170.
- ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
- ↑ Day of month inferred from predecessor. Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 408.
