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Murray Walker
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==Early life== Graeme Murray Walker was born at 214 Reddings Lane in [[Hall Green]], [[Birmingham, West Midlands|Birmingham]], England, on 10 October 1923.<ref name="walker">{{cite book|last=Walker|first=Murray|title=Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken|year=2002|publisher=Harper Collins|location=London, UK|isbn=0-00-766373-0}}</ref> His family is of Scottish descent.<ref name="ScotsmanSep02">{{Cite news|last=Hannan|first=Martin|date=15 September 2002|title=Plenty left in the tank|page=12|work=[[The Scotsman]]|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A91533489/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=375d3313|url-access=subscription|access-date=10 February 2020|via=Gale OneFile: News}}</ref> His father [[Graham Walker (motorcyclist)|Graham Walker]] was a [[despatch rider]] and works motorcyclist for the [[Norton Motorcycle Company]] who participated in the [[Isle of Man TT]]. His mother, Elsie Spratt, was the daughter of Harry Spratt, a businessman from [[Leighton Buzzard]], Bedfordshire.<ref name="walker" /> Walker was an only child.<ref name="BEMSep98">{{Cite news|last=Young|first=Graham|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A60860166/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=7ce2e4a7|title=And there goes Murray Walker!; Brummie motor racing king Murray Walker is back in the Midlands this weekend to celebrate 50 years as a commentator.|date=5 September 1998|work=Birmingham Evening Mail|access-date=10 February 2020|page=20|via=Gale OneFile: News|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1925 Walker and his family moved to [[Wolverhampton]] when Graham became the Competition Manager for [[Sunbeam Cycles|Sunbeam]]. The family later moved to [[Coventry]] in 1928, when Graham worked as the Sales and Competition Director for [[Rudge-Whitworth]].<ref name="walker"/> Walker's education began with a governess at the family home, followed by spells at preparatory schools around the country. He attended [[Highgate School]], gaining a Distinction in [[Divinity]]. While at Highgate he joined the School Corps, learning to play the [[bugle]].<ref name="walker" /> Walker was at a trials event with his father in Austria when the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]] occurred in September 1939.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Cooper|first=Adam|date=13 March 2021|title=Murray Walker obituary: F1 broadcasting legend dies aged 97|work=Autosport|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/murray-walker-obituary-f1-broadcasting-legend-dies-aged-97/5715829/?nrt=54|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> Upon returning to Britain, the Highgate School governors became concerned about the possible extent of bombing raids on London, and so Walker and his fellow pupils were evacuated to [[Westward Ho!]] in Devon, staying there until 1941. During this time, Walker rose to the rank of Company Sergeant Major of the School Corps.<ref name="walker"/> Walker was later [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|conscripted into the armed forces]] and applied to volunteer for tanks, but was required to wait until a training place became available. In the meantime, he worked with the [[Dunlop Rubber Company]], which offered 12 scholarships annually and was based at [[Fort Dunlop]] in [[Erdington]], Birmingham. Walker had been evacuated to Erdington and lived with the Bellamy family at 58 Holly Lane. On 1 October 1942 he travelled to [[Wool, Dorset|Wool]] in Dorset, where he reported to the 30th Primary Training Wing at [[Bovington Camp|Bovington]], the headquarters of the [[Royal Armoured Corps]].<ref name="walker"/> Walker later attended and graduated from the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], and was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[second lieutenant]] into the [[Royal Scots Greys]] on 16 April 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36519|page=2277|date=16 May 1944|supp=y}}</ref> The salute at his commissioning parade was taken by American [[General (United States)|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], the [[Supreme Allied Commander]] for the upcoming [[Operation Overlord|Allied invasion of Normandy]]. Walker went on to command a [[M4 Sherman|Sherman tank]] and to participate in the [[Operation Veritable|Battle of the Reichswald]] with the [[4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East|4th Armoured Brigade]]. He left the Army in 1946, having attained the rank of [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]].<ref name="walker"/> Following the war, Walker briefly followed in his father's footsteps by taking up motorcycle racing, competing against, among others, a young [[John Surtees]]. After limited success, he switched to competing in [[motorcycle trials]], where he made a greater mark, including taking a gold at the [[International Six Days Enduro|International Six Days Trial]] and winning a first-class award at the [[Scottish Six Days Trial]].<ref name="MMagInterview" /> After briefly attending [[University of Roehampton|Roehampton Technical Institute]] to study shipping management,<ref name="drivetribe">{{cite news|last=Albers-Daly|first=Thiemo|date=August 2020|title=F1 Spotlight β Murray Walker|work=DriveTribe|url=https://drivetribe.com/p/f1-spotlight-murray-walker-Gmepd0ZWTYOwCeC5SwDh_g|access-date=5 October 2020|archive-date=13 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113044354/https://drivetribe.com/p/f1-spotlight-murray-walker-Gmepd0ZWTYOwCeC5SwDh_g|url-status=dead}}</ref> Walker worked in advertising for [[Dunlop Rubber|Dunlop]] and [[Aspirin|Aspro]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/formula-one/article/murray-walker-the-public-do-not-understand-how-talented-drivers-are-d9nfnpmc3|title=Murray Walker: the public do not understand how talented drivers are|date=14 March 2019|author=Rick Broadbent|website=The Times|access-date=1 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301024454/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/murray-walker-the-public-do-not-understand-how-talented-drivers-are-d9nfnpmc3|archive-date=1 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> He was then headhunted by [[McCann Erickson]], where he worked on the firm's account with [[Esso]].<ref name=":0" /> Following this, he was employed as an accounts director by the Masius advertising agency, with clients including [[British Rail]], [[Vauxhall Motors|Vauxhall]] and [[Mars, Incorporated|Mars]], for whom the agency created the slogan "A [[Mars (chocolate bar)|Mars]] a day helps you work rest and play"; Walker repeatedly denied the attribution of the slogan to himself, saying that he was only an administrator on the project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/01/motorsports.oliverowen|title=Mint condition|date=1 July 2007|author=Oliver Owen|website=The Guardian|access-date=14 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902131719/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/01/motorsports.oliverowen|archive-date=2 September 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> He did not retire from this job until the age of 59, long after he had gained fame as a commentator.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Keating|first=Frank|date=14 March 2021|title=Murray Walker obituary|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/mar/14/murray-walker-obituary|access-date=15 June 2021}}</ref> Walker created the slogan "Trill makes budgies bounce with health" β an advertising slogan for bird seed in the 1960s β as well as the slogan "[[Starburst (candy)|Opal Fruits]], made to make your mouth water."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/01/motorsports.oliverowen|title=Interview: Murray Walker|work=The Guardian|date=1 July 2007|access-date=29 April 2009|location=London, UK|first=Oliver|last=Owen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002215654/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/01/motorsports.oliverowen|archive-date=2 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> He is credited with the naming of the late 1960s Vauxhall [[Vauxhall Victor|Ventora]], with the car's original proposed name, Ventura, being rejected by [[General Motors]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Roberts|first=Andrew|date=November 2017|title=Victor turns 60!|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/practical-classics-uk/20171101/281706909823630|journal=Practical Classes|pages=68β78|url-access=subscription|access-date=1 March 2020|via=PressReader|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301065312/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/practical-classics-uk/20171101/281706909823630|archive-date=1 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
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