Famous N.Z. Pilot Values Tiki Above Decorations

Northern Advocate, 18 May 1943, Page 5

Famous N.Z. Pilot Values Tiki Above Decorations

LONDON, May 16. Tucked inside the tunic of a 22-year-old New Zealand bomber pilot is a neat tiki. He has worn it faithfully during 61 operations, all in Stirlings. He would not part with it for anything, not even for the triple row of decorations under his wings. The pilot is Squadron-Leader Fraser Barron, D. 5.0., D.F.C., D.F.M. (Palmerston North) —the only New Zealander thus far to win those three decorations in this war. “My sister Patsy gave me the tiki before I left home. I would never fly without it,” he said. That tiki may or may not have brought him luck, but certainly Squadron-Leader Barron has had a full share of both bad and good luck. Fortunately good luck has always turned up just when he needed it—and thero were times when he needed every ounce.

Quiet, shy and diffident, SquadronLeader Barron prefers not to talk about his experiences, but here are a few facts regarding his two tours. Close Friend of Deceased V.C. Sergeant Barron, after training in New Zealand, arrived in England in March, 1941. He was a close friend of the late Sergeant Jimmy Ward, V.C. (Wanganui). They were together until they passed out from an operational training unit. Sergeant Barron began his first tour 'in July, 1941. For 10 raids he' was “second Dickey.” They then had 10 nerve-racking raids, the second and third being in daylight on Lille, when every aircraft was punctured by flak. The crews could sec Spitfires and Messerschmitts dogfighting all round them. There was a night raid over the Ruhr, when flak forced the Stirling sc low that they were below the level of factory chimneys, and the gunners engaged in a running fight with the German defences for half an hour. After being appointed captain, Barron went on big raids of Hamburg, Rostock, Lubeck and Poissy. He flew for a time the Stirling which was afterwards exhibited outside St. Paul’s Cathedral during “Wings for Victory Week.” Once he raided Essen thrice in 43 hours, and for the good results achieved was recommended for the D.F.M. Captain Barron carried out 39 raids, comprising 200 operational hours, for the first tour. In 1000 Bomber Raids He was then posted instructor. It was while instructing that he took part in two of the famous 1000 bomber raids against Essen and Cologne, also in. a mining trip, bringing up his total raids to 42. He continued Instructing for four months and later carried out four more raids with pupil crews against Bremen and Dusseldorf (twice) and Hamburg, all of which were big shows. .

Flying-Officer J. Paape (Dunedin), since missing, was his pupil. Captain Barron, as with so many airmen, preferred operations to instructing. When “pathfinders”—crews who find and light up targets—were formed. Captain Barron immediately volunteered, and then, as he admits ruefully, “the fun started.” He carried out 15 pathfinder raids until ordered to rest. His gunner for these trips was Fly-ing-Officer J. Marshall (Napier), who later was awarded the D.F.C. Flew Blind Across Alps On every trip something happened. Turin was to be bombed. The weather was the worst possible, and of eight aircraft from Captain Barron's station only two reached the target—Captain Barron’s and another. That other was shot down over Turin. There was cloud to 25,000 feet, and Captain Barron flew blind across the Alps on dead reckoning, coming down through the clouds on estimated time of arrival —and there was Turin bang below. That was the good work of the navigator (of Durham), who won the D.F.M. for his fine work, while Captain Barron was awarded the D.F.C. A week later Captain Barton want to Munich. Two night fighters attacked the Stirling on the way home—a Messerschmitt. 110, which received a burst from the rear gunner, and then a Junkers 38, which suddenly raked the Stirling from end to end, smashing the petrol tank and manipulation cocks, resulting in the impossibility of changing over the tanks, damaging the tail and the plane’s wings. It seemed as if the two port engines would pack up. Preparations were made for baling out, but the rear gunner discovered that his parachute had been shot to ribbons. Gallant Engineer Then the fighter reattacked the now defenceless Stirling, but Captain Barron outmanoeuvred him, and the engineer fixed up the cocks and Captain Barron based, despite many complications. That engineer was a Scot. It was his 75th and last raid. He was awarded the D.F.C. On the next trip, Captain Barron won the D.SO. It was a Cologne raid. He was “first on.” At 18,000 feet a cone of 50 searchlights picked up the Stirling He flaw twice ever the town, trying to evade them and dodge heavy flak He was forced down to 10.000 •eet! but could not dodge the glaring lights. Captain Barron thought to himself: “This is it. It has come at last. But Time must have been thinking otherwise. At any rate, on zero hour, Captain Barren decided to bomb searchlights or no searchlights. He hit the target somehow, and escaped the lights and based. The very next night he went to Hamburg His Stirling was shot up all the wav out, and one engine was actually shot out from the plane over the target. Returning, the Stirling fought its way against storm and severe icing conditions. With three engines it could not fly over it. The Stirling was gradually forced lower and lower down, weighted by ice, while the crew rapidly threw out guns and ammunition to maintain height They found themselves over Rotterdam at 2660 feet and prepared to bale out, but ,iust at that moment— perhaps it was the tiki at work—the Stirling ran into a rainstorm, which melted the ice. Captain Earron got the Stirling to 4Oou feet and based. , He made his 61st raid when he revisited Cologne. Again he lost an engine over the target. But again he returned safely. He was then taken off operations and is now instructing. But Sauadron-Leader Barron still wants to return to operation “for another tour at least,” he says. Perhaps he will get permission. If so he certainly will take the tiki with him on every raid.