Flying Officer (Pilot) 131058 John Barnett

Family details:
Son of George Henry and Alice Barnett, of Rainhill, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register - Not identified. Father George H Barnett born 27/08/1893 a Head Master Public Elementary School, mother Alice Barnett born 03/09/1895 a House Keeper, sister Joyce Barnett born 21/03/1919 a School Teacher and brother Harry Barnett born 15/07/1927 At School are living at Fenwood, View Road, Rainhill. Also at the address is Irene E Berry born 25/08/1934 At School.

[b]No. 40 Squadron [/b]began the war as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force, making it one of the first squadrons to be sent to France. The Fairey Battle suffered very heavy loses during the Battle of France, but by then No. 40 Squadron had returned to Britain to re-equip with the Blenheim.When the German onslaught in the west began on 10 May 1940 No.40 Squadron's Blenheims were thrown into the battle, attacking German troops until the fall of France. The squadron then took part in the attacks on the German invasion barges during the period when that invasion was expected at any time.In November 1940 the squadron converted to the Wellington, and spent the next year operating as a night bomber squadron with Bomber Command. In October 1941 the squadron's aircraft were flown to Malta, where they operated against targets in Italy and North Africa until May 1942, when the surviving aircraft were transferred to Egypt. Those parts of the squadron that had remained in the UK became No. 156 squadron on 14 February 1942 Once the squadron had recovered from its battering on Malta, it began to fly operations against the Axis forces in North Africa, moving west as the Allies advanced into Tunisia and Cyrenaica, before finally moving to Italy in December 1943. From there the unit carried out raids on targets in northern Italy and the Balkans. [pic]imgs/WW2_headstones/John_Barnett.jpg[/pic][caption]Thanks to CJBiller[/caption]