Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 Barton Halifax...

[Harry Faversham]

I'll never look on this model as a lump of diecast ever again, it will forever be a little memorial to Pilot Officer Cyril Barton, in my eyes.
I'm reading Jon Nichol's 'The Red Line' and it includes several references to Pilot Officer Barton. What moved me most, particularly with tomorrow in mind, was the telegram his parents received after the Nuremberg Raid...

DEEPLY REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON PILOT OFFICER C. J. BARTON WAS KILLED THIS MORNING AS THE RESULT OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH. DESIRE TO EXPRESS DEEPEST SYMPATHY IN YOUR LOSS YOUR SON CAN BE BURIED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE REGIONAL CEMETERY AT HARROGATE WITH SERVICE HONOURS AND THE COST OF THE FUNERAL WOULD BE BORNE BY THE GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL A FREE THIRD CLASS RAILWAY WARRANT FOR TWO PERSONS ONE OF WHOM MUST BE A RELATIVE WOULD BE ISSUED ON THE PRODUCTION OF THIS TELEGRAM AT THE NEAREST POLICE STATION. IF YOU DESIRE A PRIVATE FUNERAL THE BODY WILL BE SENT HOME AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE AND THE COST OF THE FUNERAL WOULD BE MET FROM GOVERNMENT FUNDS. IN ADDITION YOU WILL BE ALLOWED A GRANT OF FIVE POUNDS TOWARDS FUNERAL EXPENSE BUT NO OTHER EXPENSES WILL BE ALLOWED. PLEASE TELEGRAPH YOUR DECISION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RAF USWORTH. HIS BODY IS AT CHERRY KNOWLE HOSPITAL SUNDERLAND.

In her grief, his mother was determined to know what had killed him and see his injuries for herself, but when the coffin arrived there was a notice on it...

'Not to be opened under any circumstances.'

LEST WE FORGET

[Cubs]

Nobody does compassion and empathy quite like the MOD. Good to see its predecessor was much the same.