An interview with Butch Barton

An interview with Butch Barton

Robert Alexander Barton was born on 7th June 1916 at Kamloops, British Columbia. He travelled to England to take up a RAF short service commission in January 1936. Following the outbreak of war he joined the newly-formed No 249 Squadron. Barton, known as ‘Butch’, was flight commander of the Hurricane-equipped No 249 Squadron from 14th August 1940. He was immediately in action, and the following day shot down a Me110 and damaged a second. Over the next three weeks, Barton’s successes mounted. On 3rd September, now flying from North Weald in Essex, his Hurricane was hit by return fire from a Dornier bomber and he was forced to bale out. When his CO was wounded, Barton led the squadron into battle during the most hectic phase of the Luftwaffe’s onslaught, sometimes flying four times in a single day. On 15th September, the day of the greatest air battle, he shot down a Dornier bomber over the Thames Estuary and damaged a second. By the end of the Battle of Britain he was awarded a DFC for his “outstanding leadership”.

In December 1940 Barton took command of 249 Squadron, and destroyed two more enemy fighters. In 1941 his squadron was ordered to Malta. Barton opened his account in Malta on 3rd June, when he shot down an Italian bomber, the squadron’s first victory over the island. Five days later he destroyed another bomber, this time at night. On 22nd November he achieved his final victory when he shot down a Macchi MC202 fighter near Gozo. He received a Bar to the DFC. On his return to Canada he lived a quiet life. He was regarded as one of the region’s finest fly fishermen. “Butch” Barton died on 2nd September 2010. Age 94.


You may also like

An interview with 'Secret Liberator' Al Sirois
(full video coming soon) Among others, Secret Liberators includes an interview with Al Sirois, an SOE Wireless operator.
An interview with Ed Mastronardi
Interviewed by Norm Christie in 2007. Incredible interview outlining Ed’s platoon defence of the Song-Gok against an attack by 1,000 Chinese.
An interview with Jim Moffet, from 'Striking Back'
(full video coming soon) Many of our documentaries have interviews. Here's an excerpt from Striking Back that includes an interview with Jim Moffet.
An interview with Jim Stirling
This interview was done in 2008 in anticipation of a TV Show Evaders & Escape Lines. Jim gave us a one piece interview, literally; one question and off he went.
An interview with Joe Ekins
On August 8, 1944, under incredible pressure, he destroyed 3 Tigers.
An interview with Jules Paivio
Paivio was the last surviving Canadian veteran of the Spanish Civil War, and of the Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion.
An interview with Ken Tout
He was there for the fight, and overheard much of the battle on his radio.
An interview with Lockie Fulton
Eyewitness to History: Major "Lockie" Fulton returns to the battlefields of Normandy 1944 to talk about D-Day.
An interview with Sydney Radley-Walters
His unit made up the eastern flank of what would be the trap that crushed Wittmann's Tigers.
An interview with Ted Leja
One of the turning points, seemingly unnoticed, of Our Canada, took place in front of the cameras and a live audience, May 17, 1963.