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Daughter's memories of a war hero
MEDALS awarded to a hero of Bomber Command have emerged after laying in a drawer for years.
The four decorations were gained by Walter Barfod and had been tucked away with a photograph taken of his daughter Tessa at the age of three.
That photograph was taken a few months before Flying Officer Barfod was killed, aged 29, over Belgium in November, 1942.
Now his daughter, Tessa Marriner, is selling the collection through Dix, Noonan and Webb, a firm of medal specialists in London on December 4. It is expected to fetch up to 1,800.
Mrs Marriner, of Harrogate, said: "I think it is time to pass the medals on. My dad's memory will live on with me.
Flying Officer Barfod was killed during a daring low-level daylight raid on railway yards at Courtai, Belgium.
He became one of the 55,573 aircrew who died on active service during the Second World War.
Airmen faced daunting odds on bombing raids with just a 27 per cent chance of completing a tour of 30 operations.
The Bomber Command Association is now trying to raise 2m to build a memorial to the men who died, at a site in central London.
Mrs Marriner said: "We support the memorial appeal most strongly. My dad's name is on the War Memorial where we used to live in Pateley Bridge but I think a national memorial would be very welcome and long overdue."
Her father came from Hessle, near Hull, and enlisted in the RAF in 1935. He joined 107 Squadron based in Norfolk in May 1942. His unit flew Bostons, and after 13 operations was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross.
A recommendation for the medal said: "The success of these sorties was due in large measure to Pilot Officer Barfod's first class navigation and bomb aiming, allied with his coolness and determination under fire."
His aircraft was badly damaged on at least two occasions. His luck finally ran out when the aircraft was shot down.
Three weeks after being told of his death, his wife received a letter confirming the award of a DFC.
Mrs Barfod received the medal from King George VI at Buckingham Palace in May 1943 and later received a letter saying her husband had been buried with other members of his crew at a civilian cemetery in Courtai.
He was given a military funeral by the Germans.
Mrs Marriner said that after the ceremony at Buckingham Palace: "My mother came home, put the medals in a drawer and never referred to my father after that. She eventually went to the cemetery but didn't tell me about it for a long time afterwards, I think the memories were just too painful for her. She never remarried."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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