Barber, George William
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | George William |
Surname | Barber |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 04-07-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Thomas Alfred and Margaret Barber, of Tottenham, Middlesex. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | BK648 |
Markings | LS-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 14. A. 2-7. |
Epitaph | TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE CAME A SUDDEN END; HE DIED AS HE LIVED, EVERYONE'S FRIEND |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 126 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1386599 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 15 (XV) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John, Beck Row, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet on rear external wall of Church |
Memorial Text | In remembrance of all who served at RAF Mildenhall and associated aerodromes in the cause of freedom, 1939-1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/62 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/61 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 03-07-1943 |
End Date | 04-07-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Mildenhall |
Day/Night Raid | Night (2% moon) |
Operation | Cologne- region on the east bank of the Rhine where most of the industry was located. 653 aircraft, 30 losses (4.6%). Accurate ground marking by Oboe equipped Mosquitoes leading to another very significant blow to this Ruhr city. 20 industrial and 2200 homes completely destroyed and 588 people killed. A further 72000 people were bombed out. This was the first time the 'Wild Boar' technique had been used, in which the flak height was limited to allow night-fighters to fly over the main force and pick out aircraft in silhouette against the fires below. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Menden (Rheinland), NE of Bonn, Germany, between Bonn-Hangelar airfield and Menden Bahnhof. |