A. R. H. Barton

Anthony Richard Henry Barton (17 December 1913 – 4 April 1943) was an English flying ace who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with having shot down at least six aircraft.

Born in London, Barton joined the Royal Navy (RN) in 1931 and subsequently served in the Fleet Air Arm once he gained his wings. In July 1940, he resigned his commission in the RN and joined the RAF as a pilot officer. Initially posted to No. 32 Squadron and later serving with No. 253 Squadron, he achieved a number of aerial victories during the Battle of Britain. He was wounded in September and was off operations until February 1941. He went to Malta in March 1942, as a reinforcement for the RAF garrison there defending the island against bombing raids mounted by the Axis forces. During his service on Malta, he achieved further aerial victories and commanded No. 126 Squadron for a time. Returning to the United Kingdom in August, he was killed in April 1943 in an aircraft accident.

Early life Anthony Richard Henry Barton was born in London on 17 December 1913 to Henry and Roslind Barton. After completing his schooling, he went to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth and, upon graduation in 1931, joined the Royal Navy (RN) as a midshipman. He served for three years on , and . Interested in flying, he gained his pilot's licence in April 1934 and two years later was transferred to the Fleet Air Arm. For his flying training, he was granted a temporary commission in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a flying officer.

His flight training was at No. 1 Flying Training School at Leuchars and in August 1937, Barton proceeded to the RAF station at Gosport to briefly serve as a supernumerary pilot. In October, and now a lieutenant, he was posted to 823 Naval Air Squadron. Barton damaged two Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers on 22 April and two days later shot down a Ju 87. He also shared in the probable destruction of a Ju 88 and damaged another. He damaged a further Ju 88 on 30 April. He was then promoted to squadron leader and given command of No. 126 Squadron, succeeding Edward Gracie. He damaged a Macchi C.202 fighter on 9 May. He claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed on 10 May, and again the following day. His final aerial victory was on 14 May, and was another Bf 109 that was probably destroyed. At the end of the month, Barton along with a couple of other senior pilots from his squadron were flown to Gibraltar; they were to lead a batch of over 30 Spitfires off Eagle as reinforcements for Malta. The delivery flight departed the aircraft carrier on 3 June but was intercepted by the Luftwaffe en route, and four Spitfires were shot down. His service on Malta ended at the end of June and he subsequently returned to the United Kingdom. In acknowledgement of his services on Malta, he was awarded a Bar to his DFC in July. The published citation read:

Later war service Barton was posted as an instructor to No. 53 Operational Training Unit at Llanbedr, in Wales. He was killed in an aircraft accident on 4 April 1943 when as he made an emergency landing in his Spitfire, it collided with a fighter attempting to take off. He is credited with having shot down six aircraft, probably destroying three aircraft with a share in a fourth probably destroyed, and nine damaged.