Flying Officer NJM Barry “Nat”

Links of Long Standing

CJ Laubscher was one of the earliest “University Air Squadron” members. The few others, included Johannesburg born CW Goldsmith and PHV Wells who were educated in England, studied mining engineering and were members of the London University Air Squadron. Bishops educated Anthony Ellerton Ryan Fry, another member of that Air Squadron had completed his degree and working in a Denmark brewery when he was called up after war was declared. Cambridge University Air Squadron members MR Hill, IBDE Hay and NJM Barry, a long-time school contemporary of Oxford University Air Squadron member Percy Burton.

Against Unfavourable Odds

Thomas commissioned in 1938 and was a Bishops contemporary of Hurricane pilots Burton and Barry, the school having the highest number of South Africans who served in the RAF and RAFVR during the Second World War.

Against Unfavourable Odds

Born in Northern Rhodesia and educated at Bishops with PRF Burton and NJM Barry, Pilot Officer JLW Ellacombe commissioned in early 1940 and was 20 when he joined No 151 Squadron in July. Shot down twice in two days, his “Battle of Britain” ended on the 28th after incurring severe burns that kept him off flying for three months. He earned the “Distinguished Flying Cross”, served with No 253 Squadron, flew No 487 Squadron Mosquito’s and was awarded a “Bar” in 1944. Air Commodore JLW Ellacombe CB DFC and Bar retired in 1973 and died in 2014.

Against Unfavourable Odds

PV Arderne, a few years behind Burton, Barry, and Thomas at Bishops commissioned in May 1938, appears to have been the first South African Bomber Command pilot to be awarded a “Distinguished Flying Cross” and although his squadron participated in the barge attacks, his award has not been linked to those attacks. The only survivor in that school group, he ended the war as a Squadron Leader.

Against Unfavourable Odds

Flying Officer NJM Barry served as Aide-De-Camp to Air Vice Marshal de Crespigny MC DFC. Posted to No 3 Squadron in July, he joined No 501 Squadron a day before his long-time school contemporary, Percival Ross- Frames Burton lost his life. Barry flew 12 operational sorties, survived a forced landing, but was shot down on October 7th and found lifeless in his parachute 34.

The Dreaded Telegram

The Bishops school community including parents like James and Winifred Duff were soon aware the sad news and although Gordon Duff’s September 30th “Distinguished Flying Cross” award may have lifted spirits, that was short lived as Richard and Gladys Barry received an Air Ministry telegram a few days later advising their son, Nathaniel John Merriman Barry, had lost his life on October 7th.

The Dreaded Telegram

One of seven children, Nathaniel John Merriman Barry, was born in 1918 in South Africa’s Eastern Transvaal where his father Richard was a mining engineer. He was five -years old when his fifteen-year-old sister Marjorie died from Malaria and had been at Cambridge for just on a year when his 22-year-old brother Richard lost his life in a mountaineering accident in early 1938. Nat served as an Aide-de-Camp before being posted No 501 Squadron on September 26th, the day before Percy Burton lost his life.