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567
Four: Leading Seaman Alfred Foster, Royal Navy, killed in action, 8 November 1942, when serving aboard H.M.S.
Walney in ‘Operation Reservist’ - part of the larger ‘Operation Torch’ - the allied landing in North Africa
1939-45 STAR; ATLANTIC STAR; AFRICA STAR, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; WAR MEDAL 1939-45, all unnamed, extremely fine
(4) £60-80
Leading Seaman Alfred Foster, Royal Navy, was killed in action, serving on the sloop H.M.S. Walney, 8 November 1942, aged 20
years. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
The sloop H.M.S. Walney, formerly the U.S.S. Sebago, was acquired by the Royal Navy as part of the ‘Lend-Lease’ agreement. The ship
was utilised in ‘Operation Reservist’ - a plan to get allied troops into the port of Oran - this part of the larger ‘Operation Torch’ - the
allied landings in North Africa.
On the morning of 8 November 1942, the Walney in company with the Hartland was conveying a mixed force of British and American
troops into the North African port of Oran. Both ships came under heavy fire from Vichy French forces ships. The Hartland was sunk in
ramming the boom defence; the Walney continued in alone but was overwhelmed by hostile fire and capsized. Of the ship’s
compliment, five officers and 75 ratings were killed; of the troops being carried, very few made it ashore.
With named condolence slip and card medal forwarding box addressed to ‘Mr H. E. Foster, 97 Henderson St., Levenshulme,
Manchester 19’.
568
Four: Private J. W. H. Looker, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, late Hampshire Regiment, captured at Hunter’s Gap, near
Beja, Tunisia, 1 March 1943
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR, clasp, 1st Army; WAR MEDAL 1939-45, these unnamed; EFFICIENCY MEDAL, G.VI.R., 2nd issue,
Territorial (5500317 Pte., R.A.O.C.) correction to service number and unit, good very fine (4) £140-180
John William Horold Looker was born in Alresford, Hampshire, on 26 July 1920. A Builder’s Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into
the Army on 11 April 1939. Serving with the 2/4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, he was taken prisoner at Hunter’s Gap, near Beja,
Tunisia, on 1 March 1943. He was held in Campo 66 at Capua and Campo 53 at Macarata, Italy, and then at Stalags 7A at Mooseburg,
Bavaria; 17A at Keizersteinbruck, Austria, and 17B at Krems, Austria. During 1944-45 he was in three work camps, Rust, Austria and
Fells, Austria, being employed in Labouring work, and Nuehause, Austria, employed in forestry work. In the later work he was twice
accidentally injured with axe cuts to his left foot and leg. In his P.O.W. papers he states that he tried to escape from Campo 53 when
Italy capitulated but was almost immediately captured by the Germans.
With copied P.O.W. papers.
569
Three: Gunner E. Baker, Royal Artillery, a prisoner-of-war of the Germans
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR; WAR MEDAL 1939-45, these unnamed; EFFICIENCY MEDAL, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (2065377
Gnr., R.A.) extremely fine (4) £80-100
Gunner E. Baker, Royal Artillery, was a prisoner-of-war of the Germans, held at Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf, Germany.
W.W.2 medals in card forwarding box, addressed to ‘Mr E, Baker, 58 Valley Rd., Sheatham, S.W.16’; also with card box of issue for the
Efficiency Medal.
570
Three: Gunner E. G. Horn, Royal Artillery, a prisoner-of-war of the Germans
1939-45 STAR; WAR MEDAL 1939-45, these unnamed; EFFICIENCY MEDAL, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (887555 Gnr, R.A.)
last with contact marks, good very fine (3) £80-100
Gunner E. G. Horn, Royal Artillery, was a prisoner-of-war of the Germans, held at Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf.
571
1939-45 STAR (3); AIR CREW EUROPE STAR; PACIFIC STAR; BURMA STAR; WAR MEDAL 1939-45 (3), all unnamed, good very fine and
better (9) £160-200
The above medals are attributed to the brothers James, William and Alexander Chalmers.
Corporal James Chalmers, 5023 Airfield Construction Squadron, R.A.F.V.R., died on 5 May 1945, aged 34 years. He was buried in
Becklingen War Cemetery, Niedersashsen, Germany. With a hand-written letter (1st page only) from the recipient to his mother,
undated.
Sergeant (Wireless Operator) William Chalmers, 40 Squadron, R.A.F.V.R., was killed on 5 January 1942, aged 26 years. He was buried
in the Catania War Cemetery, Sicily. With R.A.F. Record Office letter, dated 21 May 1942 relating to his death and a letter from the
Central Depository R.A.F. Colnbrook, dated 27 August 1943 re. his effects.
Private Alexander Chalmers, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots, was captured by the Japanese and died on 1/2 October 1942, aged 25 years.
His name is commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Thailand. With a War Office letter, dated 9 July 1943 relating to his death.
Private Alexander Chalmers was lost at sea when the S.S. Lisbon Maru, carrying British prisoners-of-war of the Japanese was torpedoed
and sunk by the U.S. submarine Grouper about 100 miles off Ningpo.
The brothers were the sons of Alexander Geddes Chalmers and Elizabeth Chalmers of 7 Gardenston Street, Laurence Kirk,
Kincardineshire, Scotland.
www.dnw.co.uk
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