Operation Neptune drew Walker away from the Arctic route for the Normandy invasion. From June until October 1944 she escorted shipping to the beachhead and occasionally fired her guns against targets ashore. The assignment took an old destroyer into another demanding operation. Once enough escorts were available for the invasion routes, the Royal Navy sent her back to the Arctic convoys. The long-range conversion still made her useful on a route where weak or poorly prepared escorts were unsuitable. Even after an ageing destroyer ceased to suit front-rank fleet operations, spare hull space could support conversion for demanding escort duties.
Chapter · 52:48-55:05
Operation Neptune and a return to the Arctic
Walker escorted shipping and fired toward the Normandy beachhead from June to October 1944, then returned to Arctic convoy duty as soon as other escorts could replace her.