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Few people in Barwick could say that they had flown in the
second decade of this century. However, the photograph below, also
supplied by Hrs Allan, shows Sergeant Tom Walker, a Royal Flying
Corps pilot who flew Bristol fighter planes in the First World
War. In his leather flying jacket and helmet he is without doubt
Barwick's answer to 'Biggles'. He was the eldest son of 'Uncle Jim' Walker, the well-known
and much-loved Barwick character who kept a shop in Barwick Main
Street. Sergeant Walker was taken prisoner after his plane
came down behind enemy lines. He managed to escape but was re-
captured. During his captivity he kept himself usefully occupied by
knitting socks using home-made needles. After the war he became
a motor engineer. He died in 1982 at the age of 92.
We thank Mr Bob Walker of Halton, brother of Tom Walker, and
Mrs Allan, his second cousin, for the information in this article.
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