TRIBUTE to ACM Sir AUGUSTUS WALKER

Bookplate signed by

Air Chief Marshal Sir Augustus Walker
GCB CBE DSO DFC AFC

Published by Yorkshire Air Museum, First Edition 1997.  168 pages including photographs.

Fine condition card cover book. Clean, tight and bright. It feels unread.

Born in 1912, Augustus ‘Gus’ Walker joined the RAF on a university commission in 1931. Despite his small stature, he played rugby for Yorkshire, and twice for England in 1939. Serving with Bomber Command, he became a squadron commander (50 Squadron) and station commander (RAF Syerston) and was awarded both the DSO and DFC for his fine leadership, particularly on low level bombing raids, and for his invariable cheerfulness and his inspiring example. He lost his right arm when he and the crew of a fire tender approached a Lancaster which had caught fire on the runway and the 4000lb bomb suspended under the aircraft exploded. Despite this, he returned to active service with an artificial arm, and went on to take several key senior appointments in the post-war RAF, including Deputy C-in-C Allied Forces Central Europe and he also served as President of the RFU and ADC to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. He died on 11th December 1986.

This book was privately published by The Yorkshire Air Museum where Gus was a Patron and is a fitting tribute to a great Yorkshireman.