NEEDHAM, William Barry

Stats:

rank: F/L
status: survived
airforce: RCAF
born: 1920-08-08 Simpson Canada

added by: Tim Munro

Inducted 30 September 1940.
Manning Depot, Brandon.
RCAF Prince Rupert, B.C.
No.2 ITS, Regina.
No.15 EFTS, Regina (arrived 1 Feb 1941).
No.11 SFTS, Yorkton (11 STFS's 1st class).
(Graduated on 30 June 1941 as Sgt/Pilot).
Posted to Halifax to await transport overseas.
Posted overseas in July 1941.
Sent to No. 61 OTU, Heston.
Posted to 412 Squadron in September 1941.
Served there with John Magee.
Commissioned December 1941.
Flew 3 (4?) patrols in the battle of Dieppe. Tour expired, he did 57 OTU for 6 months. Sent back to Canada on leave Dec. 1943.
Returned to England in January 1944. Briefly with 401 Squadron then Reassigned to 412 Squadron 16 March 1944.
Flew with Screwball Beurling for a short time (Screwball was "A" Flight C/O, Barry was "B"). 412 Landed at Beny-sur-Mer on 14 June. Shot down by flak 7 July 1944. Amazingly, he was liberated a month later by Patton's Army from Stalag 221 at Rennes. Made it back to England. Sent back to Canada. Assigned to Ferry Command.

Recommended for an award for defending a crippled B-17 & its jumping crew from FW190s.
After running out of ammo, he used dummy attacks to drive them away.

Sadly, Barry passed July 17th 2017.