Lieutenant-Colonel B.B. Walton
1/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Major Walton said he struggled as hard as he could, but being at such a disadvantage he could do little. He was beginning to get short of breath, but managed to get away from the accused and immediately called out “Help, help,” twice, hoping that his wife would hear. Very soon after that, Mrs. Walton appeared wearing a dressing gown and, seeing what was happening, she started to beat the accused over the head with an object that the witness later learned was his fishing tackle …

 (Royal Gazette and Colonist, 7 Oct 1941, 6)

Born on 8 October 1905 in British India, Bendyshe Brome Walton was commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1925. He was a battalion adjutant from 1936 t o 1939. In the early phase of the Second World War, he was posted to Bermuda Command as brigade major and general staff officer. While stationed on the island, he was attacked by his carriage driver on the night of 27 September 1941.

Noticing his reckless driving, Walton suspected that his driver, Sydney Leroy Tucker, was intoxicated. When he found the carriage overhanging a steep bank, Walton confronted Tucker, who suddenly tried to throttle him. Walton and his wife fought off the attacker before putting him down with a strike from a pitchfork handle. Tucker was detained by police and charged with assault.

As his duties in Bermuda concerned civil defence, Walton briefed the population on what to expect from an air raid, although he could offer little reassurance: “There will be no alarm, and as I see it, the first thing will be bombs dropping,” By summer 1942, Walton had returned to the United Kingdom and with a promotion to lieutenant-colonel took command of 1/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment in August.

The battalion would land in France as part of the 59th Division nearly two years later. Walton, however, preceded his troops to Normandy. When Brigadier Ronald Henry Senior was wounded on 10 June, Walton was assigned to take command of 151st Infantry Brigade in the 50th Division, which had landed on D-Day. He was also wounded and put out of action just six days later.

Once recovered, Walton commanded 130th Infantry Brigade in the 43rd Division from August to October 1944. He retired from the army in 1955 and was appointed honorary colonel of the 7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers from 1964 to 1967.

Walton died on 29 May 1987 in Shipton, Gloucestershire.