RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

The voice of motor racing and in particular, Formula 1, Murray Walker has died at the age of 97. I met him a couple of times at corporate hospitality clay pigeon shoots when I was instructing. He really was a lovely man. He will be sorely missed.

Yes, I loved his commentary, especially with James Hunt.

And he was a Biker to the core
I have over the years come to the conclusion that reporters rarely know their subject But Murray Walker not only knew his subject but had been there and done that and was on first name terms with Fangio,Moss, Hawthorn, Hill snr/jnr as well as Phil, Clark, Stewart as well as Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood as well as the reticent but extraordinarily talented John Surtees and his father.
He was one of very few post war journalists who knew of the true maestro of motor racing "Tazio Nuvolari",
If you could get him to talk about Nuvolari you were in for a treat.
Today Formula 1 appears to need half a dozen or more "Experts" to give a commentary whereas Murray Walker and James Hunt were a 5 course banquet by themselves.
RIP and thank you sir.

Ditto to all of that, and I also enjoyed some of his celebrated 'howlers', all taken in good part; like those of David Coleman, and his 'Colemanballs". Here's a Murrayism that was mentioned in the news:
"So Bernie [Ecclestone], in the seventeen years since you bought McLaren, which of your many achievements do you think was the most memorable ?" Bernie Answers, "Well I don't remember buying McLaren."
Hilarious!! He'll be sorely missed, but then so will all those be who made Britain, Britain..

And what a life to celebrate! Truly a legend in the sport. Tank goodness for VHS players and classis reruns. He made F1 on TV, his best years probably with James as their big personalities clashed so smoothly! He waited for 2021 test weekend to go and his memories are justly dominating today's commentary. I never met him to talk yet l feel l knew him as a close friend, such was his warmth.

Rest in peace Murray. And thank you.

Something not mentioned here but I picked up elsewhere, Murray Walker was a tanker, but didn't want to talk about his service.

According to his book, he went to Sandhurst and became an officer with the Royal Scots Greys. He commanded a Sherman and fought in the Battle of the Reichswald, ending the war as a Captain.



Here on the right, in 1945, as a 21-year-old tank commander,. He had just crossed the Rhine, when who should be bump into, but his dear old dad, left, who was covering the advance for the British newspapers.

Estnische wrote:Something not mentioned here but I picked up elsewhere, Murray Walker was a tanker, but didn't want to talk about his service.

According to his book, he went to Sandhurst and became an officer with the Royal Scots Greys. He commanded a Sherman and fought in the Battle of the Reichswald, ending the war as a Captain.



Here on the right, in 1945, as a 21-year-old tank commander,. He had just crossed the Rhine, when who should be bump into, but his dear old dad, left, who was covering the advance for the British newspapers.

Well, nobody mentioned that in the TV tributes I saw. A Fascinating tidbit of info, Brett!.
By sheer coincidence, my Dad's division (43rd Wessex) was also involved in that very same campaign (Reichswald/Kleve) as Murray's unit. I've been there to check it out, as it's the one campaign my Dad ever talked about, at length- apart from Hill 112 in Normandy.
Murray was, of course, as his name might suggest, of Scottish origin- at least on his Dad's side.