Fred Jr. joined the Calgary Flying Club and learned to fly in 1938, and then joined the RCAF where during World War II he served as a volunteer pilot initially with 400 and then with 414 Army Co-operation Squadron, flying the P-40 Tomahawk and the Mustang Mark I. As an Army Co-operation Squadron, their purpose was to supply Allied Army Intelligence with photo reconnaissance, intelligence and undertake ground attacks where necessary.

On his second sortie of the day, Fred Jr. was shot down at Dieppe on 19^th August 1942, crash-landed in the English Channel and was saved by a Canadian soldier who swam over to his aircraft, pulled him unconscious from the cockpit, and swam him back to the landing craft that had just left the beach at the end of the Dieppe Raid. Fred Jr.’s fractured skull eventually led to him blacking out while flying, and in May 1943 his Commanding Officer grounded him for the rest of the war. Freddie became 414 Squadron’s Operations Liaison Officer and stayed with 414 Squadron during campaigns in Holland and Belgium. Freddie passed away in Calgary in May 2005.

For further information see: 414 Squadron and the Dieppe raid.

[Source: Bajan Things; follow link for an interview with Fred Clarke and his wing-man Hollis Hills]

No. 1383414

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 »

P/O Wilfred Martin Knowles – 172412  – from Barbados

Pilot of a Lancaster that was killed with his crew on 1 July 1944 over Vierzon (France)

[Courtesy Alain Charpentier]

Lancaster ND975, crashed June 30/1st July 1944, all crew killed
[Source: www.aircrewremembered.com, read the complete story there, with many details provided by Mr. Charpentier and others, picture below taken from the website]

ARCHER, PHILLIP LESLIE IRVING Initials: P L I Nationality:United Kingdom Rank: Squadron Leader Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force Age: 27 Date of Death: 17/06/1943 Service No: J/3508 Awards: D F C Additional information: Son of Frederick Leslie and Millicent Beryl Archer, of Hastings St. Michael, Barbados.

R Sc. 17 June 1943 421 RCAF Squadron.Spitfire IX LZ996 Rodeo pm. Shot down by JG26 Fw190 near St.Omer.FCL Vo.2 Franks.
[Extract courtesy CXX ww2chat.com. Source spitfires.ukf.net:] 6 enemy aircraft credited

[Source: Air Force Association of Canada:]- ARCHER, F/L Phillip Leslie Irving (J3508) – Distinguished Flying Cross – No.416 Squadron – Award effective 24 August 1942 as per London Gazette dated 11 September 1942 and AFRO 1535/42 dated 25 September 1942.

Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, 1917.
Joined RCAF in Montreal, 6 June 1940.
Trained at No.1 ITS , No.6 EFTS, and No.1 SFTS.
Posted overseas immediately;
to No.57 OTU, 17 February 1941;
to No.92 Squadron, 5 May 1941 where he destroyed three enemy aircraft and damaged one.
To No.412 Squadron, 11 November 1941;
to No.416 Squadron (“A” Flight Commander), 10 March 1942.
To Station Kenley, 1 December 1942.  Presented with award 9 February 1943.  Designated CO,
No.402 Squadron, 13 June 1943 and attached to No.421 Squadron for a few days to get back to operational standards.  On 17 June 1943 he took command of No.421 Squadron on posting of CO;
killed in action 17 June 1943.

Aerial victories as follows:
23 June 1941, one Bf.109F destroyed southeast of Boulogne;
7 July 1941, one Bf.109F destroyed and one damaged near Lille;
9 July 1941, one Bf.109F destroyed near Bethune;
18 July 1942,  one Do.217 destroyed east of Orfordness;
17 June 1943, one FW.190 destroyed (action in which he was killed).

Photo PL-7689 (with P/O Buchan); PL-7690 (in front of Spitfire); PL-11906 (portrait); PL-15375 (F/L E.H. McCaffrey, S/L P.L.I. Archer, F/L D.J. Williams after investiture).

This officer has completed sorties over enemy territory and has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft.  On one occasion, although wounded in the leg, Flight Lieutenant Archer flew his badly damaged aircraft back to the base where he executed a skilful landing.  He is a most efficient leader.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 8. Row A. Grave 1. Cemetery: LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY,FRANCE
[Source: Air Force Association of Canada & cwgc; courtesy Jerome Lee]

1811612 Ronald Norman Inniss joined RAF November 13  1942, received flight training Mesa, Arizona by pilots of Southwest Airways, Received WINGS March 31 1945. Returned UK and joined an OTU. Reached Rank Flight Sargeant. Littlle else known of further RAF career. Was repatriated to Barbados and discharged February 26 1947. Awarded Victory and War Medals. Died October 28  2000

[Source: Derek Davies]

[Photograph from Findagrave.com]

1809290 – Derek Sewell Blackburn Davies – Barbados – Flight Sergeant  – 224 Sqn – Liberators – Specialist Air Gunner

Joined the RAF on 3rd September 1942, serving for nine months in the RAF regiment.
Received aircrew training as an air gunner receiving his wing in April 1944.
Posted to 224 Squadron joining the crew of Flight Lieutenant Merrington flying in B24 Liberators.
Flew 33 operational sorties which included the covering of the D-Day landings with the B24s along with other aircraft thus preventing other U-boats and other units of the German navy from penetrating the main landing sites.
Seconded in November 1945 to the Colonial Office in London to assist with the repatriation of other West Indians to their homelands serving F/Lt Arthur Wint, F/Lt Peter Bynoe, Squadron Leader Ulric Cross
Repatriated to Barbados arriving there on 24th December 1946.
Later received the Barbados Service Medal.

[Source: Derek Davies]

605705 – N.F. Aranha – Barbados – attested 15.10.43 – Sgt. Air Gunner UK 4.10.44

[Source NA AIR 2/6876]

605655 – H.Mc.E. Gibson – Barbados – attested 5.9.43 – P/O Navigator #1 GRS 20.10.44
166792 – P/O – commissioned 6.10.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876]

605651 – F.P. Bauer – Barbados – attested 5.9.43 – P/O Navigator UK 20.7.44 (‘evaluation enemy lien’?)
165643 – F/O – commissioned 30.6.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876]

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]