Rumours about the axing of the Gurkhas emerged and Walker played an astute hand involving the King of Nepal and the U.S. Ambassador there to protect them. It did not endear him to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and he came close to being sacked. However, on 8 December 1962, while he was in Nepal visiting Gurkha pensioners in the Himalayas and some days walk from transport, a revolt broke out in Brunei. Walker reached Singapore 9 days later.