LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Raymond Allan BARTON

Service No: 407612
Born: Kalgoorlie WA, 9 June 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 7 December 1940 (at Adelaide SA)
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF), Berka III Landing Ground, Libya
Died: Air Operations (No. 14 Squadron Marauder aircraft FK 377), Greece, 21 February 1943, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry Archibald and Nellie Cordelia Barton, of Burnside, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide

Marauder FK377 was lost in Melos Harbour while on an operational flight on 21st February 1943. Melos Harbour is in the island of Milos, one of the Cyclades Group. The aircraft was one of a second wave of 14 Squadron aircraft to attack. No exact information as to its fate was found, but one Marauder was seen to catch on fire in the harbour and crash into the sea, and another was last seen with its engine on fire. There were two aircraft missing from the operation and it was presumed that FK 377 which failed to return to base was one of the above casualties. It was presumed that the crew had lost their lives at sea.

The crew members of FK377 were:

Flying Officer Robert Harvey Annells (401292) (Navigator)
Sergeant Frederick John Armstrong (1292354) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant George Arnold (407760) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Raymond Allan Barton (407612) (Pilot)
Sergeant Richard Frederick Bell (1295359) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Norman Archibald McMillan (411426) (RNZAF) (Second Pilot)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/5/49

Bibliography:

Napier, Michael Winged Crusaders: the exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945, Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley UK, 2012

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