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]