Walker escorted military convoys and important warship movements through the north-western approaches and Atlantic in 1942. Her assignments included HMS Malaya, the carriers Eagle and Formidable, HMS Hermione, and the 21-ship WS-16 troop convoy bound through Suez toward Bombay. These were high-priority movements whose escorts were selected before lower-priority convoys received the ships left available. Planners repeatedly chose an elderly but dependable destroyer for those assignments. A structural assessment found her sound enough for conversion into a long-range escort from January to May 1943. After working up in June, she transferred from the 5th Escort Group to the 4th Escort Group.
Chapter · 48:28-51:18
High-priority convoys and a 1943 conversion
In 1942 Walker escorted troopships and major warship movements before a long-range escort conversion returned her to service with the 4th Escort Group in 1943.