Barker, Raymond
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Raymond |
Surname | Barker |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 04-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Harry and Elsie M. Barker, of Sheffield. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | ND575 |
Markings | EM-M |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Dontilly Communal Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave. |
Epitaph | O VALIANT HEART |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 126 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1238928 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 207 |
Trade | Wireless Operator |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Bottesford during WW2 |
Location | X, Great Steeping, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed group of Memorial Stones with adjacent info board |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Spilsby and of 10 Sqn Armourers killed in an accident on 10th April 1944 |
Location | All Saints Church, Great Steeping |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Spilsby during WW2 |
Location | Stn Church, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Waddington between 1 November 1940 and 18th November 1941 |
Location | Harby Rd, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Langar during WW2 |
Location | St. Andrew's Church, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Brass Plaque & Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and a memorial to the personnel of 207 Sqn RAF who were killed flying from RAF Langar during WW2 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1235/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1235/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 03-05-1944 |
End Date | 04-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Spilsby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (83% moon) |
Operation | Mailly-le-Camp- to bomb a military camp. 360 aircraft, 42 Lancasters Lost (11.6%). The chain of command on this raid failed to work as it should have, due to technical issues. The Marker Leader (W/C Leonard Cheshire) reported successful marking to the Master Bomber (W/C Deane) but he was unable to call in the main force for the attack since his VHF radio was incorrectly tuned and was drowned out by an American forces broadcast The Deputy Controller (S/L Sparks) stepped in but the delay caused many bombers to be picked off by night-fighters. Despite this, the bombing, when it eventually began, was highly accurate with approximately 1500 tons being dropped on the target with extensive damage to barracks, engine sheds, ammunition stores and vehicles. 218 German soldiers were killed. S/L Sparks's own aircraft was shot down, although he evaded capture. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter on the homebound leg and crashed near Donnemarie Dontilly, France |