|
|
|
|
|
|
Captain F.J. Walker and the Battle of the Atlantic
A painting of Captain F.J. Walker. Many have asked why 1943 is the date chosen to mark the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic when of course we know the battle continued effectively from the outbreak of war until the German surrender in May 1945. But, it was in 1943 when the Enigma code was broken and this information being intercepted and decoded from Adm Doenitz to German High Command, in the summer of 1943, revealed that he no longer believed that the U-Boats could win the war for Germany. This decoding meant the secret underground WWII bunker, called:- 'Western Approaches Command,' which is located on Rumford Street in Liverpool, underneath Exchange Flags, could really step up a gear. If you are unaware, until recently, the bunker had remained hidden in a cloud of secrecy and it played a pivotal role in the Battle of the Atlantic. It ran all the communications for the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines thought World War 2. 'Western Approaches Command,' was under the command of Admiral Sir Percy Noble, before being posted to the United States as Head of the RN Admiralty Delegatio, in November 1942, being relieved of his Command by the newly appointed Commander in Chief of Western Approaches, Admiral Sir Max Horton. The location was staffed largely by the women of the Women's Royal Naval Service up until August 1945. Throughout World War 2 the bunker housed nearly 1,000 Royal Navy and RAF personnel, 80% of them women. This purpose-built 2-story underground bunker, with walls and ceilings of thick, reinforced concrete, covered an area of roughly 55,000 square feet. After it finished being used for the war effort, that was not the end of the story of this amazing building. If you have not visited this amazing bunker, we strongly suggest you go, as, without it, the Allies would never have won the Second World War. Also, you can discover why this hidden command center; despite being in the very heart of Liverpool City Center; was kept so hush, hush even after the war, into the 1990s. But the area and the connection to this Top Secret headquarters in World War 2 did not stop in Liverpool, pushing paper around. 1 of many under 'Western Approaches Command' on the high seas was Captain Frederic John Walker CB, DSO, and 3 Bars, who was a Royal Navy Officer. But, he also had a direct impact on how 'Western Approaches.' His unconventional, but highly successful methods of dealing with the U-boat threat court the eyes of Admiral Sir Max Horton. This lead to a change in tactics, the Support Groups were no longer confined to escort duties, but could actively hunt down submarines. As part of the Sefton Council's Commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic, you can visit the Council Chamber, at Bootle Town Hall, to view the amazing artifacts and stories, from the Life and Career of Captain Frederic John Walker. There will be no need to book, and access will be available from:- 10.30 am to 4 pm, every 2nd and 4th Friday of each month until 23 June 2023. It is also worth adding that he had also served in the 1st World War! Do you know any locations that helped us to win the Battle of the Atlantic or have any useful stories that can help build a better understanding of the area's connections to the Second World War, please do let us know, by emailing us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Facebook or Twitter. For more information about Captain Walker, please visit:- LiverpoolMuseums.Org.UK and Sefton.Gov.UK/yYur-Council/. For more information about 'Western Approaches' please go to our History Pages http://www.merseyreporter.com/history/ also take a look at our YouTube video. Did you know that Admiral Sir Percy Noble died on 25 July 1955, and in 1957 a memorial was placed in the North Choir Aisle of Liverpool Cathedral? Related news report LINK.
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
