William Thomas Barnes


Lieutenant William Thomas Barnes was an English flying ace of World War I. He served as an observer/gunner in Bristol F.2 Fighters, gaining, in conjunction with his pilots, nine confirmed aerial victories over German Fokker D.VII fighter planes. Postwar he served in the Royal Irish Constabulary and was killed in the Kilmichael ambush of 28 November 1920.

Early life and Fusilier service

William Thomas Barnes was born in Sutton, Surrey on 10 March 1892. He began his military service in the Royal Fusiliers; he had become a sergeant before he was commissioned a second lieutenant within the regiment on 10 June 1917.

World War I aviation service

Barnes was appointed an Observer Officer in the Royal Air Force on 1 August 1918. He reported for observer duty in the Bristol Fighters of 11 Squadron on 15 August 1918. A week later, on 22 August, he scored his first aerial victory, destroying a Fokker D.VII over Bapaume. A week after that, on 29 August, he drove another Fokker down out of control over Bourlon Wood. The next day, Barnes survived anti-aircraft fire that severely damaged Bristol Fighter serial number D7981. He then ran off a string of four consecutive destructions of Fokker D.VIIs during September, setting one aflame in flight on the 4th, destroying two more on the 16th, and ruining another on the 17th. On the morning of 1 October 1918, he torched another German fighter, and drove one down out of control south of Le Cateau, all in five minutes. His final victory, two days later, was another out of control, northeast of Cambrai. His final tally was six Fokker D.VII fighters destroyed, three driven down out of control.
Barnes was promoted to lieutenant on 10 December 1918, but was retired from the RAF for ill health with a gratuity on 27 or 28 January 1920.

Postwar career

He subsequently joined the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and was one of 19 officers killed by the Irish Republican Army in the Kilmichael Ambush in Ireland on 28 November 1920 during the Anglo-Irish War.

Honours and awards

;Distinguished Flying Cross
2nd Lt. William Thomas Barnes.