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4 unusual facts about Cyril Joe Barton


Cyril Joe Barton

As LK797 crossed the English coast at dawn, 90 miles to the North of its base, its fuel ran out from the battle damage leakage, and with only one engine still running on vapours and at too low a height to allow a remaining crew bail-out by parachute, Barton crash landed it at the village of Ryhope, steering away in the final descent from the houses and coal pit-head workings.

By 30 March 1944, he had completed six sorties in LK797, which the crew had named Excalibur.

A housing estate in Ryhope, "Barton Park", was also named after him, and a nearby street was named "Halifax Place", after the bomber-type that he flew in the exploit.

His second sortie with the new Squadron was an attack upon the city of Stuttgart in Germany, flying in Halifax LK797 (codename LK-E).



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