R. C. Barrow | ||
Full Names | Rank /Unit | Years at Q.E.G.S. |
Royston Clifford Barrow | Aircraftsman 1st Class. | 1933 |
Date / Place of Birth | Date / Place of Death | Age at Death |
1922 Verwood | Thursday 28th December 1944 | 22 |
Roy was the son of Harold Clifford and Phyllis Barrow of Verwood and his grave is in the churchyard of St. Michaels at Verwood.
At the Grammar School, he gained his School Certificate in the summer of 1937. At the Speech Day in the Autumn term of 1939, he was awarded a Vl form prize for "General Progress" and earlier that year he had been successful in the Civil Service Exam. Roy played Harry Brown a "Union Delegate" ,in the School play, " Six men of Dorset", when he, "... played the part perfectly..being..violent and loud in his anger against the upper classes ".
Roy Barrow was a member of the ground crew at RAF Elvington when, "At 1425 hrs, while Halifax Mk.III, NA174 (Sqdn LettersL8-), was being prepared for operations on Monchengladbach, a fire broke out, followed almost immediately by the first of five terrible detonations. In the five minutes of horror that settled on Elvington, thirteen airmen died and five were injured, as they valiantly tried to bring the fires under control.
Among those hurt were a French Cpl medical orderly and the French driver of the fire tender. All were admitted to York Military Hospital for treatment. The dead were taken to various UK cemeteries. Those who were serving with the Free French Air Force now rest in France, having been initially interred in the Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery.
Note. This was the worst ground accident in Bomber Command in 1944.
The above extracts are from "Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War" . The casualties were 5 UK and 8 French. 5 Free French Airmen were also injured.