2218587 – Flight Sergeant – Wireless Operator – 50th Squadron

Carl Collin Carby, joined RAF (#2218587) became Flight Sgt./ Wireless Operator Air; date of attestation 22/7/43; date of reporting for duty 9/8/43.  He was recruited by Sir John Hoggins in Jamaica April ‘43 sent to Monckton New Brunswick via New York waiting shipment to UK, in New Brunswick, then to Halifax and then by ship to UK. group of only 12. Arrived in Scotland and sent to Bridgnorth RAF receiving centre then sent to Madeley, Herefordshire for training.

Next went to Dumfriesshire, Scotland operational training unit, then Abingdon Oxfordshire, operational training unit then to Waddington to 50th squadron.

Enlisted 22 Jul 43, temporarily released 5 Sep 47 (for accountancy course special arrangement with the Colonial Office)

Recalled 21 Sept ‘49. Discharged 20 Jan 50.

[Source: Hazel Carby]

Mrs Hazel Carby, his daughter, published Imperial Intimacies, A Tale Of Two Islands, a book about her experiences of growing up as a child of a Jamaican father and a Welsh mother in post-war England. “Imperial Intimacies opens in postwar war Britain but goes back to the 1750s. It gives an account of my father’s life in Jamaica, his recruitment into the RAF, his training and travel with other recruits from the Caribbean to RAF Depot #31 in Moncton, Canada and the story of the Wolfpack attack on the convoy on which he was transported to Britain. I also include stories of his life in the RAF.”

Read more about the book in the Guardian.

[Image taken from  Imperial Intimacies, A Tale Of Two Islands, courtesy Mrs Hazel Carby]

Wing Commander, Aubrey Inniss, DFC, wartime fighter ace, was born in Barbados on November 21, 1916. He joined the RAF in January 1939 on a service commission and by September when war broke out he had been trained and was posted to 236 Squadron, flying the Blenheim 4Fs on anti-shipping duties. On September 23, 1940 Inniss had his first kill when he shot down a Heinkel He 111. In 1941 he was posted to the 248 Squadron, flying the Beaufighter which was a powerful and much faster aircraft with four 20mm cannon and six machine guns. Patrolling from St. Eval in Cornwall to as far as the Bay of Biscay, he was able to shoot down two Ju 88s in January and March 1943. In July of the same year he was awarded his DFC having added another victim to his tally. He was later promoted to Wing Commander and ended the war with seven (7) kills. Aubrey Inniss retired from the RAF in 1958 and along with his wife Ruth, ran a fishing pub at Sheepwash, North Devon. After his wife‘s death in 1975, he spent most of his time in Barbados and died there on January 30th, 2003 at the age of 86.

[Source: Barbados Postal Service]

In 2008 the Barbados Postal Service issued a set of stamps commemorating their men who served in the Royal Air Force in WW2, Aubrey Inniss is portrayed on the one to the right. More »

Flight Engineer latter part ww2. [rank unknown]

Born 1925. Qualified as a Barrister after war; poet (The Mystic Rose, Magpie Press 1969), painter and film script-writer.
[Source: CG]

Herman Francis Grant  EDE – F/O
Service No: 33307  Service: RAF
Trade/Branch:   Pilot   263 Sqn Gladiator
Station/Unit/Ship: HMS Glorious
Command:   Fighter
Nationality: Bermuda
Awards/Decorations: DFC
Disposal:   KIA   Age  23  yrs   Date Died:    9 Jun 1940

Equipped with Gladiators and sent to Norway in April 1940 in an attempt to give air cover for British and Norwegian forces. Operations from the frozen Lake Lesjaskag ended when Luftwaffe bombers destroyed the aircraft on the ground and returned to the UK to re-equip. In May, the squadron arrived back in Norway, this time further north and flew patrols until the Allied forces were withdrawn from Narvik. They fought continuously until 7 June, claiming 26 confirmed victories. 10 Gladiator aircraft of 263 Sqn were flown on board HMS Glorious in the early hours of 8 June for transport to the UK. Shortly after 1600hrs on 8 Jun 1940, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst were sighted. “Glorious” received her first hit from Scharnhorst at 1638hrs and sank at about 1810hrs. Also sunk were HMS Ardent & HMS Acasta. Total losses of over 1500 officers & men of the RN, RM and RAF.

Buried At: Runnymede Memorial Grave/Memorial : Panel 5
Next of Kin: Son of Ernest Grant Ede and Winifred Louise Ede, of Pembroke, Bermuda.

[Sources: CWGC – www.warship.org – MOD]

Aircrew  FS  Frank Alfred Conway,  MACAULEY
Service No: R65534  Service: RCAF
Trade/Branch:   W.Op/ Air Gnr.
Nationality: Bahamas
Disposal:   KIA   Age  22  yrs   Date Died:    16 Sep 1942

Buried At: Bexhill Cemetery
Grave/Memorial : Div. Q. Sec. E. Row A. Grave 1.
Next of Kin: Son of Timothy A. Macauley, and Margaret C. Macauley, of Nassau, Bahamas.

[Source: CWGC]

George Winthrop Sargent, MOSELEY – F/L
Service No: 114927  Service: RAF Pilot, 305 (Polish) Sq
Nationality: Bahamas
Disposal:  KIA – Age 25 yrs – Date Died: 26 Nov 1944

Buried At: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Grave/Memorial : Joint grave 12. D. 13-14.
Next of Kin: Son of Daniel Sargent Darling Moseley and Myrtle Howard Moseley, of Nassau, Bahamas.

[Source: CWGC]

Read more on www.outislandboy.com

Pictures below taken from  www.outislandboy.com

[Lads going to WWII. Front L-R: Hartis Thompson and Philip Farrington.
Back: L-R Garth Johnson, George Moseley, and Warren Lightbourn. Source: Bahamas Handbook]

Pilot Officer – Air gunner – RCAF – KIA at 20 in 1943 – buried at Commonwealth War Cemetary in Berlin, Germany

[Source: St. Lucia website]

Denis Claude Desmond DuBoulay (known as Desmond)  Service no. J/26607  Royal Canadian Air Force  426 Sqn.

Flight Sergeant – RAF – Navigator – died at 34 in 1943 – Buried at Commonwealth War Cemetery in Berin, Germany

[Source: St. Lucia website]

RAF – died at 19 in 1943 – buried Cheltenham Cemetery, UK

[Source: St. Lucia website]

1383402 – E.W. Barrow – Barbados – Ach/W.Op/A.G. – attested 31.12.40

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876 – Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

Flying Officer – Became Prime Minister of Barbados

[Source: CG]

The Barbados Second Contingent
Back row: C.P. King, J.S. Partridge, A.A. Walrond, J.L.L. Yearwood, M.R. Cuke, E.W. Barrow – Front row: G.D. Cumberbatch, A.P.C. Dunlop, H.E.S. Worme, G.A. Barrow, A.O. Weekes, B.F.H. Miller.

Subsequently killed were: Sgt. Charles Parnell King, Sgt. Arthur Adolphus Walrond, Pilot Mark Radford Cuke, Sgt. Grey Doyle Cumberbatch, Flying Officer Andrew P.C. Dunlop, Pilot Officer Bruce F.H. Miller

The First Contingent, the Harold Wright Contingent as is became known, sailed 27th July 1940 and was recruited for the forces generally. However, the Second Contingent were recruited for the RAF and departed Barbados in November 1940. The 12 men selected included Errol W. Barrow, who would survive the war, enter politics and eventually become Barbados’ first Prime Minister (1966-1976)

[Source: Barbados at War 1939-1945 by Warren Alleyne, privately published 1999, p.9]

In 2008 the Barbados Postal Service issued a set of stamps commemorating their men who served in the Royal Air Force in WW2. More »

Flying Officer

Enlisted in the RAF on 31 December 1940 and flew some 45 operational bombing missions over the European Theatre. By 1945 he had risen to the rank of Flying Officer and was appointed as personal navigator to the Commander in Chief of the British Zone of occupied Germany, Sir William Sholto Douglas.

[Source: Wikipedia]

Military History of Barbados 1627-2007 by Major Hartland

Flying Officer Errol Walton Barrow of  Barbados(21 January 1920 – 1 June 1987) became his country’s first Prime Minister in 1966. Barrow enlisted in the RAF on 31 December 1940 and flew some 45 operational bombing missions. By 1945 he had risen to the rank of Flying Officer and was appointed as personal navigator to the Commander in Chief of the British Zone of occupied Germany, Sir William Sholto Douglas.

After the war he studied Law and Economics concurrently, taking degrees in 1949 and 1950 respectively. He also served during that time as Chairman of the Council of Colonial Students where his contemporaries included Forbes Burnham, Michael Manley, Pierre Trudeau, and Lee Kwan Yew, all destined to become political leaders in their home countries.

Barrow served as Premier of Barbados from 1961 until 1966 when, after leading the country to independence from Great Britain, he became Prime Minister. He served continuously in that capacity as well as stints as Minister of Finance, and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the next ten years. He was a dedicated proponent of regional integration, spearheading the foundation of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) in 1965. Eight years later CARIFTA evolved into the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), when Barrow, together with Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and Michael Manley of Jamaica enacted the treaty of Chaguaramas to bolster political and economic relations between the English-speaking Caribbean territories.

A wonderful overview of Mr. Barrow’s career in the Royal Air Force with many interesting details and pictures published on the website BajanThings.

[courtesy Audrey Dewjee/Peter Burton]

Sgt Errol Walton Barrow – No. 9 A.O.S. – St. John’s (Québec, Nov. 25th 1943)

[Source: BajanThings]

“The Beautiful Blonde in the Bank” is a posthumously published book by Andrew Cole about his time in the RAF during World War II and flying post war.  This is an important piece of recorded World War II history, about the training of RAF aircrew in Canada.  About putting together a crew that included Sgt. Errol Walton Barrow RAF (Navigator & Bomber) and about war-time flying with 88 Squadron Bomber Command.

You can download the book or read more about this story here, on the website BajanThings.com.

A colorized photo from the book:Crew No. 31/48/416 – Graduates of Course no. 48 No. 31 Operational Training Unit RAF Debert, Nova Socia, Canada – 7 April 1944. P/O Andrew Leslie Cole RAF (Pilot) 153770, SGT Errol Walton Barrow RAF (Navigator & Bomber) 1383402, SGT Leo Leslie J Schultz RAAF (Wireless/Air gunner) AUS.424694 SGT Robert Allen “Shorty” Stewart RAAF (Wireless/Air gunner) AUS.424070 standing in front of a Lockheed Hudson.

Pictures in the article from Leo Schultz’ photo album: Training in Canada (Left) Pilot Andy Cole and Navigator Errol Barrow in their Lockheed Hudson. (Right) Navigator Errol Barrow in the navigator’s astro dome of their Lockheed Hudson.
	Errol Barrow RAF (Navigator), Leo Schultz RAAF (Wireless/Air gunner), Andy Cole RAF (pilot) taken in Brussels, Belgium in February 1945 on a 48 hour pass. Photo by Allen “Shorty” Stewart RAAF (Wireless/Air gunner).

BajanThings published the third post that features crew members that flew with Errol Barrow, PM of Barbados while he was in RAF 88 Squadron “B” Flight from September 1944 to April 1945.  This latest post is the story of Australian wireless operator gunner – Leo Schultz and can be viewed here: https://www.bajanthings.com/f-o-leo-leslie-schultz-raaf-1921-to-1990/

Leo Schultz and the crew were based initially at RAF Hartford Bridge and then at Vitry-en-Artois in France.  Leo completed 52 bombing sorties before the 88 Squadron was disbanded and he was demobbed in Sydney.The crew included

English pilot – Andy Cole
Barbadian navigator – Errol Barrow who would in 1966 become PM of Barbados
Australian wireless operator gunner – Leo Schultz
Australian wireless operator gunner – Allen “Shorty” Stewart

Previous post on English pilot – Andy Cole can be viewed here:
https://www.bajanthings.com/the-beautiful-blonde-in-the-bank-f-l-andrew-leslie-cole-afc-raf/

The first post that kicked this off on Errol Barrow can be viewed here:

https://www.bajanthings.com/errol-barrow-statesman-pm-barbados-raf-navigator-world-war-ii/

To date we have been unable to locate the family of the fourth member of the crew Robert Allen “Shorty” Stewart  [Date of birth: 5th January 1919, who joined the RAAF on 21st July 1942 at 2 RD RAAF Bradfield Park Sydney, trained in Canada, flew with RAF 88 Squadron in England and France from 20th September 1944 to 6th April 1945 and was discharged from 2 PD Appt Term RAAF Bradfield Park Sydney on 13th December 1945 – taken from RAAF Record of Service extract DGPS Record: NSW 915/79.]

[Courtesy Peter Burton]