The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. S C Walch

Stuart Crosby Walch was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on 16th February 1917, the son of Percival Bell Crosby Walch and Florence Hester Jane Walch.

He was educated at the Hutchins School there (see below). On 15th July 1936 he joined the RAAF as an Air Cadet and carried out his flying training at Point Cook.

In August 1937 Walch transferred to the RAF, travelled to England and was posted to 11 FTS Wittering on 18th September for a short flying course.

He joined 151 Squadron at North Weald on 8th January 1938. 238 Squadron was reformed at Tangmere on 12th May 1940 and Walch was posted to it as a Flight Commander.

Above: Walch standing at left with three unidentified colleagues, his overalls and the Hurricane's black/white colour scheme dates it to 1938/39.

He claimed a Me110 destroyed on 11th July, shared in destroying a Me109 on the 20th, destroyed a Me110 on the 21st and a Me109 on the 26th.

Walch was shot down into the Channel during an engagement two miles east of Weymouth on 11th August in Hurricane R4097.

He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 5.

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner.

Walch featured in a page of caricatures of 151 Squadron personnel in the Tatler magazine in 1940.