The emotive Halton Apprentice’s General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine, awarded to Leading Aircraftsman later Flight Sergeant G.W.H. Barkham, Royal Air Force. Barkham a former Halton Apprentice from Aldershot, Hampshire, was employed as a Fitter on Aircraft Engines and after service in Palestine at Ramleh during the suppression of the Arab Rebellion, he then spent the early part of the Second World War with No.115 Squadron, before moving on to No.22 Operational Training Unit, and being awarded a Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services, gazetted on 8th June 1944. Barkham was on service out in German post-war, and was a passenger in an Anson flying from RAF Gutersloh in Germany back home to RAF Bovington when he was killed in n air accident on 7th November 1946. Having taken off the Anson, consisting of two crew and five passengers, was tasked to fly via Dortmund and was low flying in conditions of poor visibility. The aircraft collided with a chimney at the De Wendel Colliery and swung to starboard, and then 'rebounded' and crashed into a second chimney at the colliery, disintegrated and dived into the ground. All aboard were killed. Another passenger was Wing Commander N.J. Mowat, D.S.O.
General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine; (563521. L.A.C. G.W.H. BARKHAM. R.A.F.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
George William Harry Barkham was born on 1st August 1912 in Aldershot, Hampshire, and originally enlisted into the Royal Air Force as a Halton Apprentice with No.1 Wing at RAF Halton on 27th August 1929. On completion of his training, he was appointed an Air Craftsman 2nd Class (No,563521) on 1st August 1930, and went to work as a Fitter on Aircraft Engines. In August 1932 he was posted to the School of Army Co-Operation, and in January 1933 he was posted out to Ramleh in Palestine. In May 1933 he was advanced to Air Craftsman 1st Class, and he was promoted to Leading Aircraftsman in May 1935. After service at Ramleh during the suppression of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine, he was then posted home in April 1938, and sent to Lee-on-Solent, being promoted to Corporal in October 1938.
Posted back to Halton in April 1939, he was then posted to No.115 Bomber Squadron in July 1939 and was with this unit on the outbreak of the Second World War, remaining with this unit until April 1943. During this period his squadron flew operations over Norway to cover the campaign there. Appointed a temporary Sergeant in September 1940, he reverted to Corporal in July 1941, before being once again appointed to temporary Sergeant in November 1941.
In April 1943 he was posted to No.22 Operational Training Unit, and was advanced to unpaid Acting Flight Sergeant in July 1943, followed by paid Acting Flight Sergeant in August 1943, before once again reverting to temporary Sergeant in June 1944. In this month, Barkham was awarded a Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services, as announced in the London Gazette for 8th June 1944, and awarded to him in the rank of Flight Sergeant. He was once again appointed to temporary Flight Sergeant in August 1944, and in the following month he was posted to a Maintenance Depot.
Shortly after the end of the war, Barkham was posted to No.801 Wing, and he would appear to have been a passenger in an aircraft when he was killed in an air accident on 7th November 1946, when flying in an Anson from RAF Gutersloh in Germany back home to RAF Bovington. The Anson was operated by No.2 Group Communications Squadron, its serial number being TX175. Having taken off it was tasked to fly via Dortmund, West Germany, and was low flying in conditions of poor visibility. The aircraft collided with a chimney at the De Wendel Colliery, at approx. 80 metre agl, swung to starboard, and then 'rebounded' and crashed into a second chimney at the colliery, disintegrated and dived into the ground. At the time of this incident, chimneys were not marked on maps, nor were they illuminated with warning lights. In addition to the poor visibility/fog at the time, the chimneys generated lots of steam which made visibility even worse! All seven people board were killed in the crash, two crew plus five passengers. One of the passengers was Wing Commander N.J. Mowat, D.S.O. The crew and passengers were all buried in Munster Heath War Cemetery, Munster.
