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BARTON, Paul Smith Flight Lieutenant, No.400 Squadron, J13606 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BARTON, F/L Paul Smith (J13606) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.400 Squadron - Award effective 8 May 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 966/45 dated 8 June 1945. American in the RCAF, although he was born in Sulte Ste.Marie, Ontario, 12 December 1921, and award card gives home as Oshawa, Ontario. Enlisted in Toronto, 11 August 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.4 BGS, 20 August 1941 (guard duty); to No.6 ITS, 21 October 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 19 December 1941; to No.12 EFTS, 20 December 1941;graduated 13 February 1942 and posted next day to No.14 SFTS; graduated and commissioned 23 August 1942. To No.123 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, 11 September 1942. To No.5 Coastal Artillery Cooperation Flight, 1 December 1942; to No.1 Coastal Artillery Cooperation Flight, 9 December 1942; to No.5 Coastal Artillery Cooperation Flight again, 20 May 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 11 July 1943. To Coastal Artillery Detachment, 19 July 1943; to No.123 Squadron, 25 October 1943. To “Y” Depot, 2 December 1943. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, 13 December 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 11 January 1944. Repatriated 5 August 1945. Retired 14 September 1945. Medal presented 9 April 1948. RCAF photo PL-43154 (ex UK-20267 dated 9 April 1945) shows pilots on No.400 Squadron - seated, foreground, F/L Jack Fox (Toronto), F/L John McMillan (Peterborough), F/O Paul Barton (Oshawa), F/O George Hozy (Scarborough Junction). Seated at far left is F/L Lou Aldworth (Waterloo), F/L Don Graham (Ottawa) about to catch a football thrown by F/O Jim Dew (Fint, Michegan). // This officer has completed a large number of reconnaissances and has been responsible for securing much valuable information. In March 1945 Flight Lieutenant Barton was detailed to photograph an area in the Rees sector. During the operation much anti-aircraft fire was directed at his aircraft. In spite of this, Flight Lieutenant Barton successfully accomplished his task and them acting on his own initiative, went on to reconnoitre the whole of the Rhine River between Emmerich and Wesel. In this well executed sortie Flight Lieutenant Barton displayed skill, courage and devotion to duty. // NOTE: RCAF Routine Order 982 dated 26 June 1942 reads as follows: // No.R123478, Leading Aircraftman Paul Smith Barton, an airman of the Royal Canadian Air Force serving at No.14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer, Ontario, was tried by a district court-martial on the 13th day of May 1942 and was found guilty on the following charges: // (a) Flying aircraft low over or near city of Oshawa, contrary to Station Standing Orders. // (b) Falsifying his cross-country flight log to show flight as being on course when he well knew this was not the case. // He was sentenced to undergo detention for 42 days. The finds and sentence, having been confirmed by the Air Officer Commanding, No.1 Training Command, Toronto, Ontario, were promulgated to the accused.