Kevin Walton
Encyclopedia
Eric William Kevin Walton, GC
, DSC
(15 May 1918 – 13 April 2009), known as Kevin Walton, was an officer in the Royal Navy
during World War II
and, in 1946, was a winner of the Albert Medal
, which in 1971 was superseded by the George Cross
.
in Japan
in 1918. He was the son of Murray Walton, a missionary
, and his wife Myra (née
Hebbert), whose family had served for four generations in the Indian Civil Service. His godfather was Howard Somervell
, a member of the 1922 and 1924 Everest
expeditions. Later, encouraged by Somervell, Walton developed an interest in climbing
. He spent his early years living in Japan with his parents before coming back to Britain
to spend four years being brought up by a great aunt and uncle while his parents returned to their missionary work in Japan. Walton was educated at Monkton Combe School
and Imperial College London
, where he trained as a Civil Engineer
.
as an engineer officer at the start of World War II
, and took part in various naval actions during the next five years. On 26 May 1941 he was serving on HMS Rodney, part of Admiral Sir James Somerville
’s naval force which attacked the German
battleship
Bismark
with Fairey Swordfish
torpedo-bombers, taking out Bismark's steering apparatus, and then sinking her with gunfire in the Atlantic Ocean
.
Walton later served as engineer officer in destroyers and took part in the Barents Sea
action aboard HMS Onslow
against the German cruiser Admiral Hipper
and the pocket battleship
Lützow
on 31 December 1942. Onslow which was holed during the action, and it was because of Walton's skill and determination that Onslow was able to stay afloat long enough to reach port. For this action Walton received the Distinguished Service Cross
. He was Mentioned in Despatches while aboard HMS Duncan
in the North Atlantic, again on destroyer escort duty. He took part in several of the Malta Convoys
and served in the Far East
towards the end of the war.
. On 26 August 1946 another member of the party, Major Tonkin fell into a crevasse
, the rescue that followed led to Walton being awarded the Albert Medal on 28 May 1948, and the following citation was published in the London Gazette
on 8 June 1948:
With Dr Richard Butson
, who also went on to win the Albert Medal
for heroism, Walton climbed several previously unconquered Antarctic peaks, some of which rise to heights of almost 13,000 feet. For their work in the Antarctic Walton and Butson received the Polar Medal
. Walton also received its Clasp (Antarctic 1946-7) and Queen's Commendation for another crevasse rescue on South Georgia
in 1952.
When the Royal Warrant of 1971 entitled him to the use the post-nominal letters
'GC'
, he chose to continue to wear his original Albert Medal
with his other medals and awards.
, including British
Secretary of the International Antarctic Expedition, when he kept huskies
in the gardens of the Royal Geographical Society
in London; mechanic for Aston Martin
in the Le Mans 24-hour race
, and the first instructor for the Outward Bound
Mountain School in the Lake District
. For six months Walton was one of the crew of a yacht which landed agents
in Albania
. This career ended on the discovery that details of the operation were being leaked from MI6
by the double-agent Kim Philby
.
He taught workshop engineering at Oundle School
, at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
, and at Malvern College
. He was involved in the construction of a nuclear power
station in Wales
and in British Voluntary Service Overseas
(VSO). He was a member of The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
. In the 1980s Walton pioneered the "Opening Windows on Engineering" scheme, where professional engineers visited UK
schools to inform the pupils about engineering and to get them interested in it as a future career. Initially operated by the Institution of Civil Engineers
, of whose Council Walton was a member at the time, the scheme was later extended as the "Neighbourhood Engineers" project, its administration being transferred to the Engineering Council. Today, it is the "Engineering Ambassadors" programme, run by the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Network.
Kevin Walton married Ruth Yule, with whom he had one son and three daughters. His son Jonathan Walton is also engaged in Antarctic
research, and they are believed to be the only father and son to hold the Polar Medal
.
Kevin Walton is commemorated by Mount Walton
in Graham Land
, part of the British Antarctic Territory
.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(15 May 1918 – 13 April 2009), known as Kevin Walton, was an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and, in 1946, was a winner of the Albert Medal
Albert Medal (lifesaving)
The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971 with the last two awards promulgated in the London Gazette of...
, which in 1971 was superseded by the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
.
Early life
Walton was born in KobeKobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1918. He was the son of Murray Walton, a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, and his wife Myra (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Hebbert), whose family had served for four generations in the Indian Civil Service. His godfather was Howard Somervell
Howard Somervell
Theodore Howard Somervell OBE was a British surgeon, mountaineer and missionary who was a member of two expeditions to Mount Everest in the 1920s, and then spent nearly 40 years working as a doctor in India.-Early life:...
, a member of the 1922 and 1924 Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
expeditions. Later, encouraged by Somervell, Walton developed an interest in climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
. He spent his early years living in Japan with his parents before coming back to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to spend four years being brought up by a great aunt and uncle while his parents returned to their missionary work in Japan. Walton was educated at Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe School is an independent boarding and day school of the British public school tradition, near Bath, England. The Senior School is located in the village of Monkton Combe, while the Prep School, Pre-Prep and Nursery are in Combe Down on the southern outskirts of Bath...
and Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, where he trained as a Civil Engineer
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
.
Royal Navy
Walton joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as an engineer officer at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and took part in various naval actions during the next five years. On 26 May 1941 he was serving on HMS Rodney, part of Admiral Sir James Somerville
James Somerville
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville GCB, GBE, DSO was one of the most famous British Admirals of World War II.-Early career:...
’s naval force which attacked the German
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Bismark
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
with Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
torpedo-bombers, taking out Bismark's steering apparatus, and then sinking her with gunfire in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Walton later served as engineer officer in destroyers and took part in the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
action aboard HMS Onslow
HMS Onslow
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Onslow:* Onslow, an "M" class destroyer launched in 1916 and scrapped in 1921. She saw action at the Battle of Jutland, where her captain was John Tovey, who later became Admiral of the Fleet....
against the German cruiser Admiral Hipper
German cruiser Admiral Hipper
Admiral Hipper, the first of five ships of her class, was the lead ship of the Admiral Hipper–class of heavy cruisers which served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1935 and launched February 1937; Admiral Hipper...
and the pocket battleship
Deutschland class cruiser
The Deutschland class was a series of three panzerschiffe , a form of heavily armed cruiser, built by the Reichsmarine officially in accordance with restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles...
Lützow
German pocket battleship Deutschland
Deutschland was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. Ordered by the Weimar government for the Reichsmarine, she was laid down at the Deutsche Werke shipyard in Kiel in February 1929 and completed by April 1933...
on 31 December 1942. Onslow which was holed during the action, and it was because of Walton's skill and determination that Onslow was able to stay afloat long enough to reach port. For this action Walton received the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
. He was Mentioned in Despatches while aboard HMS Duncan
HMS Duncan (D99)
HMS Duncan was a D-class destroyer leader built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. The ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before she was transferred to the China Station in early 1935 where she remained until mid-1939. Duncan returned to the Mediterranean Fleet just after...
in the North Atlantic, again on destroyer escort duty. He took part in several of the Malta Convoys
Malta Convoys
The Malta Convoys were a series of Allied supply convoys that sustained the besieged island of Malta during the Mediterranean Theatre of the Second World War...
and served in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
towards the end of the war.
Albert Medal
After the war, Walton (still in the Navy) became involved in the work of the British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic Survey
The British Antarctic Survey is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operation and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 400 staff. It operates five research stations, two ships and five aircraft in and around Antarctica....
. On 26 August 1946 another member of the party, Major Tonkin fell into a crevasse
Crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack in an ice sheet rhys glacier . Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the sheer stress generated when two semi-rigid pieces above a plastic substrate have different rates of movement...
, the rescue that followed led to Walton being awarded the Albert Medal on 28 May 1948, and the following citation was published in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 8 June 1948:
With Dr Richard Butson
Richard Butson
Colonel Arthur Richard Cecil Butson, GC, OMM, CD and Bar was born of British parents in China, and later emigrated to Canada....
, who also went on to win the Albert Medal
Albert Medal (lifesaving)
The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971 with the last two awards promulgated in the London Gazette of...
for heroism, Walton climbed several previously unconquered Antarctic peaks, some of which rise to heights of almost 13,000 feet. For their work in the Antarctic Walton and Butson received the Polar Medal
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904.-History:...
. Walton also received its Clasp (Antarctic 1946-7) and Queen's Commendation for another crevasse rescue on South Georgia
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
in 1952.
When the Royal Warrant of 1971 entitled him to the use the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
'GC'
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, he chose to continue to wear his original Albert Medal
Albert Medal (lifesaving)
The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971 with the last two awards promulgated in the London Gazette of...
with his other medals and awards.
Later life
Walton had various occupations on leaving the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, including British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Secretary of the International Antarctic Expedition, when he kept huskies
Husky
Husky is a general name for a type of dog originally used to pull sleds in northern regions, differentiated from other sled dog types by their fast hard pulling style...
in the gardens of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
in London; mechanic for Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
in the Le Mans 24-hour race
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
, and the first instructor for the Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
Mountain School in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. For six months Walton was one of the crew of a yacht which landed agents
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. This career ended on the discovery that details of the operation were being leaked from MI6
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
by the double-agent Kim Philby
Kim Philby
Harold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby was a high-ranking member of British intelligence who worked as a spy for and later defected to the Soviet Union...
.
He taught workshop engineering at Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
, at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, and at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
. He was involved in the construction of a nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
station in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and in British Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
(VSO). He was a member of The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association is made up of holders of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military award for bravery in the field, and the George Cross, the equivalent award for civilians and military personnel who have displayed conspicuous bravery but not in action.Holders of...
. In the 1980s Walton pioneered the "Opening Windows on Engineering" scheme, where professional engineers visited UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
schools to inform the pupils about engineering and to get them interested in it as a future career. Initially operated by the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
, of whose Council Walton was a member at the time, the scheme was later extended as the "Neighbourhood Engineers" project, its administration being transferred to the Engineering Council. Today, it is the "Engineering Ambassadors" programme, run by the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Network.
Kevin Walton married Ruth Yule, with whom he had one son and three daughters. His son Jonathan Walton is also engaged in Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
research, and they are believed to be the only father and son to hold the Polar Medal
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904.-History:...
.
Kevin Walton is commemorated by Mount Walton
Walton Peak
Walton Peak is a sharp peak, 825 m, which stands 2 nautical miles north of Mount Rhamnus and is part of the irregular ridge separating Northeast Glacier from Neny Fjord, on the west coast of Graham Land. First surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition under Rymill....
in Graham Land
Graham Land
Graham Land is that portion of the Antarctic Peninsula which lies north of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This description of Graham Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the British Antarctic Place-names Committee and the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names, in...
, part of the British Antarctic Territory
British Antarctic Territory
The British Antarctic Territory is a sector of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom as one of its 14 British Overseas Territories. It comprises the region south of 60°S latitude and between longitudes and , forming a wedge shape that extends to the South Pole...
.
Publications
- Two years in the Antarctic by E.W. Kevin Walton Published by Lutterworth, London (1955)
- Making things Work: Great Achievements in Engineering by] Michael Low, Frank McKim and Kevin Walton, with a foreword by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh Published by Cassell (1977)
- A Portrait of Antarctica by Kevin and Jonathan Walton Published by Philip's (1983) ISBN 0540010758
- Of Dogs and Men: Fifty Years in the Antarctic by Kevin Walton and Rick Atkinson Published by Images (GB) (1996) ISBN 189781755X
External links
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6107662.eceWalton's obituary in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
] - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/naval-obituaries/5166438/Lieutenant-Kevin-Walton-GC.htmlWalton's obituary in The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
] - Walton on the George Cross Database