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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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RAF Crest
31st August 1944 16 EFTS Tiger Moth II N5451 Sgt. Barton

Operation: Training

Date: 31st August 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 16 Elementary Flying Training School. 51 Group

Type: Tiger Moth II

Serial: N5451

Code: -

Base: RAF Burnaston, Derbyshire

Location: Chellaston, Derbyshire

Pilot: Sgt. William Seymour Barton NZ/4213820 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at about 12:17 to practice circuits and landings. One hour later collided with Oxford I NM637 flown by Sgt. Bell from No. 1 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit..

The aircraft falling with a half mile of each other at Chellaston. Both pilots flying solo were killed

Burial details:

Sgt. William Seymour Barton. Repton Churchyard (St. Wystan). Grave 409. Born on the 28th April 1920 at Auckland. Worked as a carpenter for V.E. Haughey of Morningside prior to service. After 3 months service with the territorial army enlisted in the RNZAF at Levin on the 31st October 1942. Embarked for Canada on the 12th October 1942. Pilots badge awarded an promoted to sergeant on the 07th April 1944. Embarked for England on the 29th April 1944. Son of Victor and Charlotte Ellen Barton (nee Taylor), of Mt. Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 260 flying hours logged with 36 solo on the Tiger Moth.

Sgt. William Henry James Bell 1801097 RAFVR. Esher Churchyard (Christ Church) . East of Church by Path. Son of William John Bell, and of Alice Leila Bell, of Kingston, Jamaica. His brother 21 year old, Fl/Sgt. Robert Leslie Bell 1895338 RAFVR also lost his life. Killed on the 2nd February 1946 flying as a pilot with 194 Squadron. Dakota 1V KJ996 dived into the ground near Pegu in Burma in turbulent weather conditions. All 5 crew killed and buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of these pilots with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 03.05.2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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