Walrus presence and deterrence in the Far East

The Walrus first entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1935, followed by British service in 1936. Early users included Australia, Canberra, Sydney, Perth, Achilles, Town-class cruisers, and County-class cruisers, a distribution strongly weighted toward the Far East. Those aircraft could land on Chinese rivers or beside Southeast Asian islands, move a few passengers, and extend a ship's visibility across dispersed stations. Their value was diplomatic and deterrent as well as tactical: they advertised where British naval power could appear. Warspite, Nelson, Rodney, and the seaplane tender HMS Albatross broaden the picture to capital ships and specialized aviation support, while the choice between Walrus and Swordfish reflected different patrol and reconnaissance requirements.