BARTON CJ
Barton, Cyril Joe Died
Personal Information
| Rank | F/O |
| Forename(s) | Cyril Joe |
| Surname | Barton |
| Gender | M |
| Age | 22 |
| Decorations | VC |
| Date of Death | 31-03-1944 |
| Next of Kin | Son of Frederick J. Barton and Ethel Barton, of New Malden, Surrey. |
Aircraft Information
| Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
| Serial Number | LK797 |
| Markings | LK-E |
Memorial Information
| Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
| Burial/Memorial Place | Kingston-Upon-Thames Cemetery |
| Grave Reference | Class C. (Cons.) Grave 6700. |
| Epitaph | AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD |
| Ribbon Stone | 0421 (Block 5, Column 23, Row 2) |
IBCC Memorial Information
| Phase | 2 |
| Panel Number | 127 |
Enlistment Information
| Service Number | 168669 |
| Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
| Group | 4 |
| Squadron | 578 |
| Squadron Motto | Accuracy |
| Trade | Pilot |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
| Location | High Street, Maldon, Greater London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
| Memorial Text | On the night of 30th March 1944, Pilot Officer Barton was captain and pilot of a Halifax aircraft of 578 Squadron detailed to attack Nuremburg. When some 70 miles short of the target, the aircraft was attacked by a Junkers 88. The first burst of fire from the enemy aircraft made the intercommunication system useless. One engine was damaged when a Messerschmitt 210 joined the fight. The Bombers Machine Guns were unable to return the fire. Fighters continued to attack the aircraft as it approached the target area, and in the confusion caused by the failure of the intercommunication system at the height of the battle, a signal was misinterpreted and the Navigator, Air Bomber and Wireless Operator left the aircraft by parachute. Pilot Officer Barton faced a situation of dire peril. His aircraft was damaged, his navigational team had gone, and he could not communicate with the remainder of his crew. If he continued his mission, he would be at the mercy of hostile fighters when silhouetted against the fires in the target area, and if he survived, he would have to make a 4 ½ hour journey home on three engines across heavily defended territory. Determined to press home his attack at all costs, he flew on and, reaching the target released the bombs himself. As Pilot Officer Barton turned for home, the propeller of the damaged engine, which was vibrating badly, flew off. It was discovered that two of the petrol tanks had suffered damage and were leaking. Pilot Off Barton held to his course and, without any navigational aids and in spite of strong head winds successfully avoided the most dangerous defence areas on his route. Eventually he crossed the English coast only 90 miles north of his base. By this time the petrol supply was nearly exhausted. Before a suitable landing place could be found, the port engines stopped. The aircraft was now too low to be abandoned successfully. Pilot Officer Barton therefore ordered the three remaining members of his crew to take up their crash stations. Then, with only one engine working, he made a gallant attempt to land over the houses which he was flying. The aircraft finally crashed and Pilot Officer Barton lost his life but his three comrades survived. Pilot Officer Barton had previously taken part in 4 attacks on Berlin and 14 other operational missions. On one of these, two members of his crew were wounded during a determined effort to locate the target despite appalling weather conditions. In gallantry completing his last mission in the face of almost impossible odds, this officer displayed unsurpassed courage and devotion to duty. |
| Location | Barton Green, New Maldon, Greater London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Blue Plaque & Road Name |
| Memorial Text | In memory of F/O C.J. Barton of 578 Sqn. R.A.F. 31 March 1944 |
| Location | Selby Abbey, Selby, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque & Ceramic Sqn Badge |
| Memorial Text | Volunteering for aircrew in 1941 and having trained in America, he began operational duties as a Halifax bomber pilot with 78 Squadron before joining 578 Squadron, based at Burn. On the night of 30 March 1944 he participated in an attack on Nuremberg. Short of the target, his aircraft was very severely damaged by enemy fighters, which forced three of his crew to parachute out. Despite this, and single handed, he completed his mission before turning for home. Guided only by the stars, he flew his crippled machine over Germany and France, to encounter further anti-aircraft fire when crossing the English coast near Sunderland. With all engines out of action, he took the gallant decision to avoid the heavily populated area by making a crash at nearby Ryhope Colliery, an act of heroism which was to cost him his life. His final words were of concern for the safety of the three remaining members of crew, all of whom survived their traumatic experience A posthumous Victoria Cross was conferred by King George VI in recognition of most conspicuous bravery. Cyril Barton, who was 22 years old at the time of his death, was a dedicated and practising Christian and an active member of the 1st Oxshott Scout Group in Surrey |
| Location | The Village Green, Ryhope, Tyne & Wear |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | To the memory of P/O Cyril Joe Barton VC (168669) RAFVR No 578 Sqn who died on 31st March 1944 after crash-landing his crippled Halifax Bomber southwest of Hollycarrside thus avoiding Ryhope. He displayed unsurpassed courage and devotion to duty, then sacrificed his life to save others and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. |
| Location | Brick Row, Ryehope, Tyne & Wear |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | This development is named as a lasting tribute to Pilot Office Cyril Joe Barton (168669) VC, RAFVR No 578 Sqn RAF |
| Location | International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln LN4 2HQ |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed stone tablet |
| Memorial Text | In loving memory of F/O Cyril Barton VC RAFVR 578 Sqn RAF Burn |
| Location | Adjacent to A19, Burn, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
| Memorial Text | For all who served in 578 Squadron Royal Air Force Burn 1944 - 1945 |
| Location | Methodist Church, Burn, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text |
| Location | Selby Abbey, Selby, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | RoH in Glass topped wooden cabinet |
| Memorial Text | In memory of all 578 Sqn Aircrew who failed to return from Ops at RAF Burn |
| Location | Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Memorial Gardens, Propeller, Inscribed Marble Tablets |
| Memorial Text | In everlasting homage to the courage of those who have found their winged victory through the skies of Yorkshire |
| Location | Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Propeller Unit & Inscribed Marble Tablets |
| Memorial Text | They made the supreme sacrifice so that you & I may go in peace with freedom. 4 Group 1939 - 1945. |
| Location | Heslington Hall, York, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | Heslington Hall 1941 - 1945, 4 Gp Headquarters Bomber Command. In remembrance of those Air & Ground personnel who made the supreme sacrifice that we all may walk in peace with freedom |
Miscellaneous Information
| Posthumously awarded the VC for his efforts in saving the other crew members. He was the only Halifax pilot to be awarded this honour. This was his 19th operational sortie, four of which were over Berlin |
| VC Citation (London Gazette 27th June 1944): "On the night of 30th March, 1944, Pilot Officer Barton was captain and pilot of a Halifax aircraft detailed to attack Nurenberg. When some 70 miles short of the target, the aircraft was attacked by a Junkers 88. The burst of fire from the enemy made the intercommunication system useless. One engine was damaged when a Messerschmitt 210 joined in the fight. The bomber's machine guns were out of action and the gunners were unable to return the fire. Fighters continued to attack the aircraft as it approached the target area and, in the confusion caused by the failure of the communications system at the height of the battle, a signal was misinterpreted and the navigator, air bomber and wireless operator left the aircraft by parachute. Pilot Officer Barton faced a situation of dire peril. His aircraft was damaged, his navigational team had gone and he could not communicate with the remainder of the crew. If he continued his mission, he would be at the mercy of hostile fighters when silhouetted against the fires in the target area, and if he survived he would have to make a 4 1/2 hours journey home on three engines across heavily-defended territory. Determined to press home his attack at all costs, he flew on and, reaching the target, released the bombs himself. As Pilot Officer Barton turned for home the propeller of the damaged engine, which was vibrating badly, flew off. It was also discovered that two of the petrol tanks had suffered damage and were leaking. Pilot Officer Barton held to his course and, without navigational aids and in spite of strong head winds, successfully avoided the most dangerous defence areas on his route. Eventually he crossed the English coast only 90 miles north of his base. By this time the petrol supply was nearly exhausted. Before a suitable landing place could be found, the port engine stopped. The aircraft was now too low to be abandoned successfully. Pilot Officer Barton therefore ordered the three remaining members of his crew to take up their crash stations. Then, with only one engine working, he made a gallant attempt to land clear of the houses over which he was flying. The aircraft finally crashed and Pilot Officer Barton lost his life, but his three comrades survived. Pilot Officer Barton had previously taken part in four attacks on Berlin and 14 other operational missions. On one of these two members of his crew were wounded during a determined effort to locate the target despite the appalling weather conditions.In gallantly completing his last mission in the face of almost impossible odds, this officer displayed unsurpassed courage and devotion to duty." |
| The miner's name was George Heads. He had been cycling to work at the pit in Ryhope when the air raid sirens sounded. Knowing that his wife was a hard of hearing he decided to double back and make sure she was safe and in doing so he was struck by the tailplane of the aircraft and killed. He was greatly missed in the community as he was a kind and gentle man. |
| Born 5 June 1921, Elveden, Suffolk. He had a younger brother, Kenneth George, born 1923. At 16 years of age he was apprenticed as an engineer at the Parnall Aircraft Factory works in Tolworth, and was a part-time student of engineering at Kingston Technical College, in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. He left his reserved occupation apprenticeship at the Parnall Aircraft Factory and volunteered for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 16 April 1941, when he was 19 years of age. |
| Barton Green in New Malden, Surrey, where he had attended school, was named in his honour in the early 1950s. Barton Road at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, North Yorkshire, was named in his honour in the year 2000 on the 56th anniversary of his death in action. A housing estate in Ryhope, Barton Park, was also named after him, and a nearby street was named Halifax Place, after the bomber-type that he flew in the exploit. Coombe Boys' School (formerly named Beverley Boys' School when Barton was a pupil there) in New Malden, Surrey, named a new building after him in 2009. Kingston College, where Barton was a student when the war broke out, offers an annual prize for the pupil of the year, which is named after him. A portrait painting of him hangs in his memory in the Wheatsheaf Inn at Burn, North Yorkshire, where Barton's squadron, 578 Squadron, was based at the time of his last sortie. His Victoria Cross is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. Longhedge housing estate in Salisbury, Wiltshire named the street Barton Place in his honour in 2022. (Source: Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Joe_Barton) |
IBCC Digital Archive
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
| Start Date | 30-03-1944 |
| End Date | 31-03-1944 |
| Takeoff Station | Burn |
| Day/Night Raid | Night (45% moon) |
| Operation | Nürnberg. 795 aircraft, 95 losses (11.9%)- the highest of any raid. High-cloud was expected to offer protection to the bomber stream but the target would be clear for the bombing run. A Mosquito meteorological flight had predicted that in fact that would not be the case, but the raid went ahead anyway. The German controller ignored the diversionary raids and had his fighters circling close to the route of the main force, using Tame Boar tactics. Consequently, the fighters engaged the bombers before they reached the Belgian border. The clear conditions allowed the fighters to pick off bombers at will with 82 of the 95 bombers being Lost on the outbound leg. Strong winds meant that some of the bombers went off the intended route and as a consequence many bombed Schweinfurt in error, some 50 miles from Nürnberg. The problem as exacerbated by two PFF aircraft dropping markers in Schweinfurt. Overall, the raid was a failure and little damage was caused. |
| Reason for Aircraft Loss | Very badly attacked by a night-fighter. Three crew baled out in the ensuing confusion but even without a navigator and bomb aimer, Cyril Barton decided to press on to the target at all costs and upon arrival at the aiming point, released the bombs himself. Despite the level of damage to his machine he was able to regain the English coast but ran out of fuel and before he was able to find an emergency landing ground and knowing that they were too low for the three remaining crew to bale out, he ordered them to take up their crash positions and made a gallant attempt to land the aircraft. He crash-landed the aircraft near Ryhope Colliery, Country Durham, killing himself and a young miner on his way to work. The other three crew members survived, thanks to the Cy Barton's bravery. |