Flying Officer Albert Barton

Flying Officer Albert Hamilton Barton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was lost on Air Operations, aged 24, on 5th/6th June 1944. He had been born in Preston, Berwickshire to Charlotte and the late William Barton of Mill Cottages, Newstead, Melrose and is buried in Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, Normandy, France. Before enlisting he had been a Policeman in Edinburgh and had played rugby for Melrose, R.F.C. He flew the Short Stirling bomber with 620 Squadron R.A.F. flying from R.A.F. Fairford which on the night of 5th/6th June were dropping paratroops from the 6th Airborne Division near Caen in Normandy to secure objectives before the D-Day landings on the 6th June. His aircraft ( EJ 116 ) crashed in the grounds of the Chateau De Granges near Caen and all 6 crew and 19 paratroopers were killed. The mission was named “Operation Tonga” and of the 23 Aircraft used 3 were lost. The colour photo shows a Stirling being ” bombed up ” before a mission.