East Yorkshire Battle of Britain hero dies (From York Press)

East Yorkshire Battle of Britain hero Flt Lt William Walker dies

8:40am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

The oldest surviving Battle of Britain pilot, who was based at Leconfield in East Yorkshire during the Second World War and was shot down and wounded in 1940, has died aged 99.

Flight Lieutenant William Walker, who was born in London, suffered a stroke last Thursday and died in hospital on Sunday.

Mr Walker, who was posted to 616 Squadron at Leconfield in June, 1940, was shot down in August that year while trying to defend the Kent coast against German bombers and their fighter escorts.

His Spitfire was hit and badly damaged and he baled out, landing in the Channel with a bullet in his right ankle. Mr Walker clung to a shipwreck on the Goodwin Sands before being rescued.

Richard Hunting, chairman of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, said: “Flight Lieutenant William Walker was a warm, engaging and friendly man who always had a twinkle in his eye.”