BARROW – Gordon Archibald

1383405 – Gordon Archibald Barrow – Barbados – W/O – Ach/W.Op/A.G. – attested 31.12.40
P/War 17.9.42

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

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.

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 »

 

 

Sgt Gordon Archibald Barrow

Errol Barrow‘s cousin Sgt Gordon Archibald Barrow who served as a gunner with RAF 214 Squadron was shot down over Belgium on 17th September 1942. He and fellow gunner Sgt R.J.Cox survived and spent the remaining war in Stalag 8B/Stalag 344 Prisoner of War camp located near the town of Lamsdorf in what was then known as Upper Silesia (now called Łambinowice, in Poland).

Their aircraft a Short Stirling Mark I bomber R9350 BU-T aircraft was shot down on the homeward-bound leg of a bombing mission against the Krupp’s Steel Works at Essen in Germany just after midnight on 17 September 1942 at Bomal (Brabant), 16 miles SSE of Leuven, Belgium. R9350 BU-T was shot down by night fighter pilot Hauptmann Walter Ehle of the Stab II./NJG 1, who was flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield. The two rear gunners of R9350 BU-T survived. The five other crew of R9350 BU-T were killed in action and are buried at Heverlee war cemetery Belgium.

Crew of Short Stirling Mark I bomber R9350 BU-T – who were killed in action
– WO Stephen Austin Levenson, 745292, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 17 September 1942.
– FS Stuart Spencer Newcomb, 999799, Observer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 17 September 1942, Aged 29.
– Sgt George Bullimore Melton, 101474, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 17 September 1942, Aged 29.
– Sgt William James Davies, 1266757, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 17 September 1942, Aged 34.
– Sgt Laurence Charles Tillin, 1186959, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 17 September 1942, Aged 28.

Crew of Short Stirling Mark I bomber R9350 BU-T – who survived
– Sgt G A Barrow, Mid Upper Gunner, Nationality : Barbados, POW 17 September 1942 Stalag 8B/Stalag 344
– Sgt R J Cox, Rear Gunner, Nationality : United Kingdom, POW 17 September 1942 Stalag 8B/Stalag 344

[Source: Peter Burton]

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