The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 409364 Warrant Officer Noel Charles Barrett, No. 463 Squadron, Australia and the United Kingdom, 1941-1944.
Wallet 1 of 1 - Consists of one navigator's logbook and one exercise book containing notes relating to aircraft. The logbook follows Barrett's training pathway from April 1942 when he is trained on the Avron Anson as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme to be an air observer/bomb aimer.
Noel Charles Barrett was born on 22 October 1922 in Prahran, Melbourne. Sent to live with his grandmother after the death of his father, Barrett was educated at Kilvington and Malvern Grammar Schools. He completed further studies in accountancy and found work as a junior clerk at the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation at Fisherman's Bend.
On 15 August 1941, aged 18, Barrett enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), mustering as an air gunner. He undertook training at various Empire Air Training Schools, including No. 4 Initial Training School, Victor Harbour, No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Parafield, No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Point Cook, No. 2 Air Observers School, Mt Gambier, No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, West Sale and No. 2 Air Observers School, Nhill.
Sailing for active service to the United Kingdon, after completing further training and crewing up, Barrett, now a navigator, was assigned to No. 463 Squadron RAAF, operating out of RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. On 4 July 1944 Barrett undertook his first bombing mission over occupied Europe. The navigator in a crew of seven, Barrett was one of five Australian and two British aircrew operating on Lancaster bombers. The crew flew 15 successful missions, targeting cities such as Stettin, Stuttgart and Caen. On the night of 29/30 August 1944, Barrett and his crew in Lancaster PB258 took off from RAF Waddington just before 8:30pm to attack Koenigsberg. After bombing the target, nothing further was heard from the aircraft.
An investigation into the disappearance of PB258 and the loss of its crew proved inconclusive, and no remains of either aircraft or crew were ever recovered. Warrant Office Noel Barrett was 21 years old.
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Collection relating to the Second World War service of Pilot Officer 424457 Francis Joseph Pottinger, 467 Squadron, France, Belgium, and Germany, 1942-1944. Wallet 1 of 1 consists of a single log boo
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 6025 Flying Officer Geoffrey Ernest Heath DFC, DFM, No. 460 Squadron and No. 627 Squadron, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, 1940-1944.
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 416651 Warrant Officer Hubert George Carlyle, navigator with No. 463 Squadron, Bomber Command, RAAF. Collection consists of an original handwrit