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Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by read on Feb 5, 2011 10:04:43 GMT 12
Am researching wing Commander Ronald Edward Bary 41818. for a history project. All I know is that he went to palmerston north boys high School. He served with 229 Squadron and was killed over Italy on 12 April 1945. Can anyone help with any info?
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 5, 2011 21:15:58 GMT 12
Read,
From my trilogy 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices)':
BARY, Wing Commander Ronald Edward, DSO, DFC, mid, (bbc).
41818; b New Plymouth 9 Jun 15; Palm Nth BHS; law clerk - Justice Dept, Palm Nth. Selected for RAF SSComm by Nov 38, emb for UK 16 Dec 38, arr 18 Jan 39; RAF & to Hatfield/1E&RFTS as Pilot u/t 23 Jan 39, 1st solo 6 Feb 39, SSComm [wef 23.1.39] & 1 Depôt 1 Apr 39, 11FTS 15 Apr 39, Pilots Badge, 229 Sqn (Blenheim - 6 ops, Hurricane - 137 ops in UK, 16 in ME) 23 Oct 39 [att 274 Sqn (Hurricane) 26 May-20 Jun 41, att SHQ Heliopolis 21 Jun-8 Jul 41, att Takoradi Ferry Pool 9 Jul-18 Aug 41, att HQ ME 19 Aug-11 Sep 41], slightly inj & a/c dam in combat 26 Sep 40, emb with Sqn on fleet carrier HMS Furious for Med after 8 May 41, in Med flew a Sqn Hurricane off Furious for Malta 21 May 41, by Sunderland to Egypt 25 May 41, 250 Sqn (Tomahawk - 83 ops) 13 Oct 41, 1METS (fighters) as instr 11 Apr 42, 80 Sqn (Hurricane - 14 ops, Spitfire - 2 ops) as CO 25 Jan 43, 239 Wing (Kittyhawk - 74 ops) as CO 20 Jun 43, by Dakota to Algeria via Tunisia 23 Jan 44, by Liberator to UK via Gibraltar 28 Jan 44, FLS (fighters) on temp duty 1 Feb 44 [instr from 27 Jul], CFE/Air Support Development Sqn (fighters) 16 Oct 44, by air to Europe/Med inc France, Italy & Greece & rtn on CFE duty 6 Nov- 3 Dec 44, 18PDC 14 Dec 44, by DC-3 to Italy via France for 244 Wing (Spitfire - 48 or 49 ops) as CO 22 Dec 44, kao 12 Apr 45. Faenza War Cemetery - VIII.D.21, Ravenna, Italy. Son of Edward & Gladwys Muriel Bary (née Knapp), Palm Nth; h of Doreen Mary Bary (later Somerville) & f of 1d, Wadestown, Wgtn. Note: credited with 2 e/a dest, 4 shared dest, 3 prob & 3 dam. [OHT3 & phot. TWN 27.5.42 & 4.7.45].
And from Vol Two (Fates: 1943-1998):
Thu 12 Apr 1945
MEDITERRANEAN ALLIED AIR FORCES
Close bombing support NE of Imola, Italy
244 Wing, RAF (Bellária, Italy - Desert Air Force, Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force)
Spitfire LF.VIII MT685 - took off at 1143 leading two 92 Sqn Spitfires. Over the target (at map ref [M] X 683664) at 1215 the pilot instructed the others to circle overhead while he dived and marked. As he passed through 4000-5000 feet one of his bombs blew up and the fighter disintegrated. He is buried at Faenza. It was assumed that one of the 500lb bombs exploded prematurely, either while still attached to the aircraft or immediately upon release, there being no evidence of flak in the area at the time. Another 92 Sqn Spitfire had suffered a similar fate only 24 hours earlier.
Pilot: 41818 Wg Cdr Ronald Edward BARY, DSO DFC mid, RAF - Age 29. 1540hrs. 370th op.
Bary had previously served with 229, 274 250 and 80 Sqns, and 239 Wing, RAF. His appointment to 80 Sqn was as commanding officer, and he had been commanding 244 Wing since 22 December 1944. The unit breakdown of his operational flying is not known.
Any particular reason that you chose Bary for your project?
Errol
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2011 13:43:37 GMT 12
Gosh what an interesting career he had.
I wonder if he was related to RNZAF pilot Ian "Bottler" Bary who flew Hudsons in the Pacific?
Errol, in your piece above where it says "slightly inj & a/c dam in combat 26 Sep 40" is that meant to say 1941 rather than 1940, given the chronology of the dates that precede and follow the statement?
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 6, 2011 14:50:15 GMT 12
Errol, in your piece above where it says "slightly inj & a/c dam in combat 26 Sep 40" is that meant to say 1941 rather than 1940, given the chronology of the dates that precede and follow the statement? Dave, No, date is correct - note that the dates between arrival 229 Sqn on 23 Oct 39 and the inj/dam/combat of 26 Sep 40 relate to temporary attachments from the sqn and are enclosed in squared brackets for that reason]. Adopted this format in the interests of space. Errol |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2011 16:12:18 GMT 12
Ah ok, thanks for that.
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Post by angelsonefive on Feb 6, 2011 20:39:10 GMT 12
Am researching wing Commander Ronald Edward Bary 41818. for a history project. All I know is that he went to palmerston north boys high School. He served with 229 Squadron and was killed over Italy on 12 April 1945. Can anyone help with any info? This may be of interest www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=2236953 |
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Post by thomarse on Feb 7, 2011 18:22:56 GMT 12
A relatively unusual name. I wonder if the late Nigel Bary who lost his life in PL12 Skyfarmer TRO in 1982 was related?
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read
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by read on Feb 26, 2011 20:02:47 GMT 12
Thanks so much for all of this. Each Boy in our advanced history class has been given an Old Boy from the WW2 Memorial Roll of Honour board to research. I was given Ronald Bary and feel very honoured as he was certainly an amzing man. I have even made contact with his grandson and will be able to share with him some information about his grandads school life. In April I am going on a school trip to Italy and hope to be able to visit Faenza War cemetary to bring back some photos for his family. Part of our research is understanding life in 'his War' so daily life in March April 1945. any suggestions on where to loofk for this ? Or any good books that you know of? Thanks once again for your help. regards Read
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2011 20:30:44 GMT 12
Thanks for that Read, this is a remarkably heartening project to read about, it's great to see that you are so enthusiastic about the project. When you have written it up I'd really appreciate if you could post it here for us to read please. Maybe some of your classmates migh like to join here too if they are as inspired by the project as you seem to be. Good luck with the trip to Italy, I'd love to go there and see the NZ battle sites.
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 26, 2011 21:03:21 GMT 12
Read, If you have not aready done so I would suggest that you also request a photocopy of the papers held on his file at Personnel Archives, NZDF. There is no charge but you may have to wait a few weeks for it to turn up. See here for further info: www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/Errol |
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read
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by read on Mar 4, 2011 14:10:57 GMT 12
Thanks Errol
I have got his records now and the great people there even got some stuff from the RAF archives for me for free, so that was great.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 4, 2011 16:49:52 GMT 12
That' good news Read. Often in service records there are some confusing words and abbreviations within, so if you need anythign translated from military abbreviations to English we'd be happy to help.
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read
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 4
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Post by read on Mar 27, 2011 20:20:27 GMT 12
I would like to really thank you all for your help with my Project. I leave for Italy on April 9th and am wrapped that the teachers have been able to add faenza into our trip. we will have a small service and place a plaque from the school at Ronalds grave. I have asked his family if they would like me to take anything as well. I am taking my cornet to play the Last post for him. This will all be videoed and given to his son, whom he never meet as he was killed a month before Ronald junior was born.
I will attempt to log it on this site as well. as for the project the first research section is with the markers ! they then give it back and i have to write the next part. really for me it has gone way beyond a school project and into a much more personal assignment. Cheers
Read
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 27, 2011 20:39:23 GMT 12
Well done Read, this is really great stuff. That will be very emotional to vbisit his grave and play the Last Post. I am looking forward to seeing the youtube link. Good luck with the research and the results, and of course the trip.
Do you think you'll continue to research other WWI veterans in the future? It sounds like you've caught the bug for it.
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