VICTORIA CROSS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22934, 3 July 1944, Page 3

VICTORIA CROSS

Posthumous Award LONDON, June 27. The Victoria Cross has been awarded posthumously to Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton, R.A.F., of Surrey. The citation states that he was captain and pilot of a Halifax detailed to attack Nuremburg on the night of March 30. Enemy fighters 70 miles from the target put his inter-com-munication system out of action, and damaged an engine and knocked out the bomber's machine-guns. In the confusion over the inter-communica-tion failure, a signal was misinterpreted, and the navigator, airbomber and radio-operator baled out. Barton faced a situation of dire peril, but determined to press home the attack at all costs. He flew on to the target and released the bombs himself. As Barton turned for home, a propeller was damaged and an engine flew off. He also discovered that two petrol tanks were leaking. Barton held his course and, without navigational aids and in spite of strong head winds, crossed the English coast only 90 miles from his base. His petrol supply was nearly exhausted. Then the port engines stopped. The plane was now too low to be abandoned successfully, and Barton ordered the three remaining members to crash stations, and with one engine working, gallantly attempted to land clear of houses ovex' which he was flying, but finally crashed. Barton was killed, but his three comrades survived. Barton displayed unsurpassed courage and devotion to duty.