605478 – J.G. Swan – Trinidad – attested 28.7.42 – Sgt. Air Bomber UK 9.3.43
54697 – F/O (W) – commissioned 26.4.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876]

[Picture: Dominica Legion, a branch of the Royal Commonwealth Ex Servicemen League, courtesy Gabriel Christian]

[Pictures: 1. Service Record HC Bryant during his period as an AC; 2. Letter describing HC Bryant’s actions that led to his DFC; 3. Letter to HC Bryant’s sister regarding his death; click to enlarge or download; courtesy Gabriel Christian]

This stamp was issued in 1998 to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force. It reflect the portraits of Dominicans who served with Honor as RAF Aircrew. From left to right; Wallace Wordsworth Plenderlieth, L.A. McKoy, Harold Cherberd Bryant, DFC, Clifford Severin, Edward Dyrample (AKA Edward Scobie). McKoy, Bryant and Osmunde St. Claire Alleyne were killed in action. Their names are on the cenotaph on Victoria Street Roseau next to the battlements of the old British Army Fort Young (within which a modern hotel now nestles – cannons and all). Every year the aged veterans (very few left), the Police, Scouts, Girl Guides and Army Cadets of the Dominica Cadet Corps parade by in honor to men who are considered heroes for the gallant service rendered in the fight for democracy and freedom.

FLYING OFFICER HAROLD CHERBERD BRYANT

Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Air Gunner)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 514 Squadron
Age: 32
Date of Death: 02/05/1944
Service No: 143598
Awards; D.F.C
Additional Information: Son of Gerald King Bryan and Helen Bryant of Dominica
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Block “S” Plot 4. Row U. Coll., Grave 8-14
Cemetery: ST. SEVER CEMETERY, ROUEN

[Courtesy Gabriel Christian]

Flight Lieutenant Stanley Parker Edghill from Barbados volunteered for the war effort and was accepted into RAF pilot training in 1940 at the age of 29 – almost unheard of!
He was posted to 15 Squadron, Bomber Command, operationally flew Stirlings and Lancasters until 1944 when a catastrophic crash in a Stirling at MTOW, departing for a raid on Cologne, ended his operational career.
Afterwards he did testing on Spitfires, Mosquitoes and also flew as a Dakota glider-tow pilot. Demobilized in 1946, returned to Barbados, died in 1988, aged 77.

[Source: Iain Edghill]

Service number: 1289034

[Courtesy AD]

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]

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]

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]

Name: ROBERTSON, JAMES DUNCAN ALEXANDER
Initials: J D A
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force
Unitt: 160 Sqn
Age: 22
Date of Death: 01/05/1945
Service No: J/29252
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Son of Frederick Henry Robertson and Madge Robertson,(nee Goodey) of St Andrew, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 456.
Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL

Liberator GR.V BZ868 Ran out of fuel and ditched 100 mi SE of Trincomalee, Ceylon May 1, 1945.

S/L D G M Joy
F/O F L Newby
F/O J D A Robertson
F/O R L Freeman
W/O P R Arscott
W/O C N Fisher
F/S J L MacDonald
F/S G P Brown

From the Squadron ORB:

Three American Mk. 36 mines were dropped between positions 011342N 1033330(?)E and 011330N 1033620(?)E. On return journey when in position 0710(?) 830?E all engines failed and captain glided aircraft from ???? feet to sea level, levelled out and ditched. The crew got out with the exception of J29???F/O D. J. A. Robertson (Nav) who was not again seen. The Captain Can C12?? S/Ldr D. G. M. Joy suffered from sever head injuries in the ditching and died in the water. Aus. 414878(?) W/O P. D? Arscott (Wop/AG) was drowned. The remainder of the crew were in the water approx. 8 hrs until being picked up by HSL after sighting A/C.

http://www.rquirk.com/160oper/160sqdn1945bknmar07.pdf

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]

Name: WILLIAMS, RICHARD ULICK
Initials: R U
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 183 Sqdn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 26/09/1944
Service No: 102158
Additional information: Son of Richard Farewell Williams and Norah Eileen Williams, of Halfway Tree, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 5. G. 4.
Cemetery: CALAIS CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, LEUBRINGHEN

Typhoon MN183 hit by Flak – pilot baled out over sea near Dunkirk.
[Source: www.WW2chat.com]

Service no. on enlistment   1290227
Service no. on Commission  102158

[Courtesy AD]

Name: SUTTON BROWN, KENNETH EDMUND
Initials: K E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 21
Date of Death: 25/06/1945
Service No: 167177
Additional information: Son of John and Kathleen Marion Sutton Brown, of Halfway Tree, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: West of church.
Cemetery: HARESFIELD (ST. PETER) CHURCHYARD

Oxford NJ317 of 3 (P)AFU crashed near Blaisdon, Gloucestershire.

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]

605588 – K.E. Sutton-Brown – Jamaica – attested 30.4.43 – P/O Pilot #31 PD 31.10.44 – UK 17.12.44
167177 – P/O – commissioned 27.10.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876]

Name: PEARSON, ARTHUR OWEN
Initials: A O
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 23
Date of Death: 31/05/1945
Service No: 179178
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Son of Turner Langbridge Pearson and Iris Victorine Pearson, of Liguanea, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XVIII. B. 15.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

Lancaster PB864 of 1660 HCU on training mission. Problems with automatic pilot, broke up in air, crashed near St.Pierre Eglise, Manche, France. (Chorley’s Bomber Command Losses Vol. 8 page 171) – 7 dead, 1 injured

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]