LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Dennis Barton IRELAND
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 139625 (RAFVR)
Born: Date, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 138 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Tempsford
Died: Air Operations: (No. 138 Squadron Halifax II aircraft HR666), off Denmark, 14 September 1943, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Kristainsand Civil Cemetery, Norway
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Henry Ezekiel and Beatrice Ina Ireland, of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
On 14 September 1943, Halifax HR666 took off from Tempsford at 1753 hours on a Special Operation and course for Poland. The aircraft was outbound on the mission when it was shot down into sea off Korsor, Denmark. Five crew members were killed and two taken prisoner.
The crew members of HR666 were:
Sergeant Roy Hedley David Bouttell (647190) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Bernard Alan Cavendish Hunt (1385303) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Denis Barton Ireland (139625) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Jack Edward Irwin (1411984) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer William Henry James (156324) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant T A Payne (R/108854) (RCAF) PoW
Sergeant D H White (R/85132) (RCAF) PoW
References:
Chorley W R, Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 4 Aircraft and Aircrew Losses 1943, Midland Counties Publications UK, 1996
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/19/26