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]

Researcher Audrey Elcombe (1988)

Audrey Elcombe was one of the earliest researchers interested in preserving the history of Caribbean volunteers during World War Two. Below an article taken from the Harmony Newsletter (September 1980) which details some of her research.  These were some of Audrey’s earliest discoveries. Harmony was an organisation for inter-racial families and their friends, of which she was a member.

[Click on the images to enlarge]

1397358 – Richard Gore Amory – British Guiana (Guyana) – Flight Sergeant – 100 Sqn RAF – KIA

Service Number: 1397358

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve   100 Sqdn.

Date of Death:  Died 21 July 1944 (navigator on Lancaster ND413)

Age 22 years old

Buried or commemorated at Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom – Grave 14169.

Son of Arthur Alexander and Ellen Louisa Amory, of Georgetown, British Guiana.

Circumstances of death  http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=715: Lancaster III, ND413 took off 2355 20 July 1944 from Grimsby to bomb railway facilities in tactical support of the Normandy Battle Area. Homebound emerged from low cloud and crashed 0330 21 July 1944 at Aylesby 6 miles W of Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire.

[Courtesy AD]

2218972 – Karlton Delroy Baracatt – Jamaica – Sergeant – 158 Squadron RAF – Flight Engineer

Enlisted Padgate after October 1942

Wounded in Action

Nationality British
Fate Injured
Incident Details Crashed at Knodishall, Suffolk
Incident Date 21-22/02/1945
Incident Time 17:26
Rank Sergeant
Duty Location Worms
Service Royal Air Force
Station RAF LISSETT   (6 miles SW of Bridlington)
Squadron 158 Squadron
Crew Sgt K D Baracatt  [Flight Engineer]
Command Bomber Command
Aircraft Mark  III
Aircraft Code NP-Y
Aircraft Type Halifax
Aircraft Serial MZ813

Sgt. K. D. Baracatt, fifth from left.

From the website Aircrew Remembered: Halifax Mk.III MZ813, NP-Y from 158 Squadron took off at 17:26 hours for an attack on Worms, Germany. Aircraft crashed at 19:45 hours near Leiston, Suffolk, killing four crewmembers.
Read more on http://aircrewremembered.com/hampshire-rj.html

[Courtesy AD]

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 »

FARRINGTON – Philip Eric

Service no. 1384766

[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; picture taken from www.outislandboy.com]

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]

1811267 – Victor Emmanuel Crane – British Guiana [Guyana] – enlisted Euston after December 1941

Entry in Personalities Caribbean4^thed. states:

https://guyaneseonline.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/personalitiescaribbeanfourthedition19701971269308.pdf  [accessed 27/11/2020]

CRANE, Victor Emanuel, L.L.B. (Lond.); Judge, Court of Appeal since 1968; Editor 2nd Edition Law of Unlawful Possession etc.  BornSept. 18, 1919, Georgetown, Guyana, son of Sir Alfred Crane and his wife Mildred E. neeGarrat, both dec’d.  EducatedQueen’s Coll., Middle Temple, Univ. Coll., London.  Religion:Church of England.  MarriedFeb. 11, 1955, Stella Doreen neeBellamy: 2 sons, 2 daus. (Colin & Edward, Maureen & Ann).  Career: Entered Civil Service, Treasury Dept. 1940-42; R.A.F. Canada and England 1942-46; Read Law at Middle Temple and Univ. Coll., Lond. 1946-49; admitted to practice at the St. Lucia Bar 1949; admitted to practice at the Guyana Bar 1949; apptd. Magistrate 1953; transferred to Nigeria 1956; Chief Magistrate Nigeria 1957-63; held acting appts. of Director of Public Prosecutions and Puisne Judge in Nigeria; re-transferred to Guyana as Puisne Judge, May 1963.  Address: Court ofAppeal, High St., Georgetown, (home) 13 Fifth Ave., Subryanville, Demerara, Guyana.

[Photo: Courtesy Verity Crane (via Bill Hern)]

No 605711 – Gerrick Edmond McKay from Jamaica. Enlisted 18.10.1943 in Canada. Trained as Wireless Operator.

[Source: Forces War Records and National Archives, courtesy Audrey Dewjee]

Gerrick Edmond (called Uncle Son) moved to England during WWII and joined the RAF. Brothers and sisters: Percival (Percy), Lily (married a Carby), Violet (married a Taylor). Family lived in Woodside, St. Mary, and known to have lived in Port Maria. Mother, Minnie Cristinia McKay nee Belnavis and Father, Herbert James McKay.

[Source: https://www.genealogy.com, courtesy Audrey Dewjee]

No.21 Initial Training Wing (I.T.W.), Bridlington, East-Riding, Yorkshire, England;
[Pictures: www.rafweb.org, courtesy Mehdi Schneyders]