Preparation
  Sergeant Ronald Barnicoat  
 

Sgt Ronald Barnicoat - RAFVR
 
 Sgt Ronald Barnicoat was serving as Flight Engineer on board Halifax Mk. II W7770 coded LQ-E during an operation to Essen on September 16/17, 1942. The aircraft encountered mechanical problems shortly before reaching the target, losing the flame dampener on one engine and the oxygen system also malfunctioned. On the homeward leg the aircraft was attacked by a night-fighter and caught fire briefly, it crashed near Maubeuge, France. Sgt Barnicoat and P/O Kropf managed to escape the aircraft, all others on board were killed.

The other crewmembers were:

Name Service

Trade

 Age Hometown
F/Sgt William  Murray RCAF Pilot - Armstrong, B.C
P/O Lorne Kropf - EVD RAFVR W/OP/AG - Kitchener, Ontario
Sgt Charles Paton RCAF Navigator 22 Toronto, Ontario
Sgt William Grant RCAF Bomb Aimer 27 Clifton Royal, New Brunswick
F/Sgt Joseph St.Louis RCAF Mid Upper Gunner 28 Renfrew, Ontario
F/Sgt Charles Kitson RCAF Rear Gunner 20 Austin, Manitoba
 
 Upon landing he suffered a broken leg, he was subsequently captured and finally taken to a local Belgium hospital for treatment. The following shows his movements as a Prisoner of War:
 
St.Giles hospital Brussels 18.9.1942-1.10.1942
Stalag Hospital Obermassfeld (Thur) 5.10.1942.-4.11.1942
Ast.Komm.865 Molsdorf (Thuringsa)  4.11.1942-16.1.1943
Stalag Luft 1 Barth (Pomerania) 16.1.1943-6.10.1943
Stalag Luft V1 Heydekrug (E.Prussia) 6.10.1943-16.7.1943
Stalag Luft 1V GR.Tyschau (E.Pomerania) 19.7.1943-6.2.1945
 
 Sergeant Ronald Ernest Hayward Barnicoat was born on 24th August 1920 and  lived in Weymouth, Dorset. He was originally a Halton apprentice, having joined the RAF on 1st September 1936. He joined 405 Squadron, based at Pocklington as a Flight Engineer in April 1942. After the war Ronald Barnicoat stayed in the RAF until 1960 and was a  civil servant before retiring as a Higher Executive Officer.
 
 
  Photo courtesy of Pamela Smith , research by Linda Ibrom, special thanks to Joss Leclerq.