OL WAR HERO : SQUADRON LEADER WILLIAM BARFOOT, RAF

OL WAR HERO : SQUADRON LEADER WILLIAM BARFOOT, RAF 

Mention of books on the World Wars brings back memories of the row upon row of old volumes of hard bound books in our School Library. I remember reading with rapt attention the stories of Wing Commander Guy Gibson and 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was their famous attack of the German dams which gave them the title of the Dam Busters.

Being a World War II buff, I was therefore interested to see the impressive website of the International  Bomber Command Centre and its Digital Archive maintained with the support of the University of Lincoln. I came across a letter written by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, VC congratulating his successor Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire on his being awarded the Victoria Cross. 

It was here that I stumbled upon the story of Squadron Leader William Ernest Barfoot of the Royal Air Force.  It was this picture that caught my attention. It shows the Prefects of the Lawrence Memorial Royal Military School, Lovedale in 1936. Barfoot is standing 4th from the right. At the centre is the Rev R. W. Simpson, Principal of the School from 1933 to 1936.

One thing led to another. Thumbing through my dog- eared copy of the School's "Admission Register 1858 to 1954", I found that William Ernest Barfoot had been admitted to the LMRMS on February 26, 1929. ( The next name on the same date is Donald Alexander Barfoot- probably his brother). 

I saw there were many interesting photographs of Barfoot in this website, including one in which he is in the School Band and another when he won the Quarter Mile Race in the School Sports in 1935 setting a new School Record. 

There is an interesting interview with Barfoot by Chris Brockbank which took place in December 2015. I guess he must have been in his 90s then. The interview is rather long- being of more than one hour's duration- but it has some interesting recollections of this war hero. He joined the Royal Air Force initially as a wireless operator, then became regular air crew, and was later trained in Navigation. He was in 296 Squadron of the Royal Air Force and took part in operations in support of the French and Norwegian Resistance movements and the British SAS. He rose to the rank of Squadron Leader in the RAF. 

Why it took the French 70 years to honour him is anybody's guess but it was fascinating to see this article in Business-Live of October 2015. Bill Barfoot was awarded the French Legion d'honneur, the highest honour the French Government can bestow, at the age of 95, for his contributions to the French Resistance during his service in the RAF. 

Is Sqd. Ldr Barfoot of the Class of 1936 still alive aged 104? I have no idea but I shall ask my friend, OL Jitu Savani who lives in the UK to check with older members of the UK OLA Association to find out the facts.