Hello everyone! My great uncle was Cyril Barton VC. I have always been drawn to & fascinated by the WW2 era. Just wondering how many of you have always been interested in the era or if you became interested later in life and why? I’d love to hear from any old veterans & their experience of war or anyone else who knew a VC recipient? I’d love to hear their story too.
I've had the pleasure of knowing several Medal of Honor, Victoria Cross and Knights Cross recipients.
Hi, welcome to the forum Anne-Marie. Just reading about your great uncle - what an incredible story of courage. To answer your question, I have been interested in WW2 since I was a boy - I grew up on a steady diet of War comics which probably gave me an overall interest in History as well as WW2. I’ve been a History teacher since 2000. I only discovered my own family connections to the war a few years back which led me to this site as I searched for more information. My great granddad was a POW for five years and this site has put me in touch with lots of people who’ve been able to help me out as well as feeding my general interest in the war. The level of research and knowledge to be found here is incredible. It’s a friendly place compared to many other websites out there and I guess the unifying factor is our genuine passion for the subject.
Hi, thanks for your message. So you’re a History teacher? Something I’d love to do! I’m a SEN tutor & a SEN TA. Just like you I only discovered my family connections this year! I only knew what my grandfather had told me so I researched & discovered Cyril! I was reunited with my family this year (Cyril’s sisters). They had fallen out with my grandfather for many, many years. I also discovered that his father, my great grandfather was a sapper in the trenches during WW1. Like you, I have always been interested in the WW2 era & I have a persistent fascination of this time period. Imagine how I felt discovering my great uncle’s heroism! You must have discovered so much about your great grandfather’s time as a POW. I’d love to hear his story, if you feel like sharing it? Many thanks
UK, Victoria Cross Medals, 1857-2007 Name: Cyril Joe Barton Birth Date: 5 Jun 1921 Birth Place: Elveden, Suffolk Death Date: 31 Mar 1944 Death Place: Ryhope, Durham UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current Name: Cyril Joe Barton Birth Date: 5 Jun 1921 Birth Place: Elveden, Forest Heath District, Suffolk, England Death Date: 31 Mar 1944 Death Place: Ryhope, Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England Cemetery: Kingston Cemetery and Crematorium Burial or Cremation Place: Kingston upon Thames, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England Has Bio?: Y Father: Frederick James Barton Mother: Ethel May Barton URL: https://www.findagrave.com/mem... https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10466513 TD
This is my great grandparents - Ethel & Fred (Cyril’s parents). My great grandmother is wearing his VC.
I’ve posted quite a few things over the years - this was my first thread 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders June 1940 If you search my profile you can find some of the others I’ve added since since then.
Anne-Marie Memories of Burn from a post of mine from a few years ago. ex-RAF Burn in news I used to live up Paperhouse Lane in the village, off the A19 on a small estate created in 1965........quaint name but now named for some unknown reason West Lane.It was formerly part of the domestic site being airmen's billets.At the entrance to the estate was two maycrete buildings.one appears to be still there after all these years,albeit in a shambled state. In Selby The Londesborough Hotel,an upmarket hotel in past days is now reopened as The George Hotel...it had a Georgian look about it.It would have been the drinking hole for the squadron at Selby....there used to be a memorial seat outside as preciously stated..I would think the Wheatsheaf in Burn,50 yards or so from the airfield would have also been popular and was easily accessed from the T2 hangar on the extreme west side of the airfield...had a few drinks in both places but chiefly the Wheatsheaf No 578 Squadron Association website gives first class information on RAF Burn and its locality. 578 Squadron Home W/C DSS Wilkerson DSO ,DFC was a well respected leader of No 578 Squadron.....another No 51 Squadron member who left Snaith to journey a few mile up the A19 to work up the new squadron.Unfortunately he lost his life in a flying accident.He is buried in Selby Cemetery with a few casualties from RAF Snaith.
Thank you for sharing this with me. I’ve posted a photo of the Selby Abbey memorial showing Cryil’s Plaque next to David’s.
I have started a new section on my YouTube channel about VC Recipients.. I think I will do a piece on Mr Barton next.
That would be fantastic! I’d be happy to help with that - info or pictures. Would love to watch it when it’s done. Thank you
When I was a youngster, I really didn't give a damn about WW2, or History in general. At school it was just dates of Kings & Queens, but at least they let me drop the subject by the time I was 12. However, in my adult life I slowly developed an interest. I'm currently interested in pre-Roman Britain, as this seems to be a period where some really interesting stuff is being discovered (e.g. at sites like Must Farm, the Great Orme Mines, and all that brilliant DNA research). As for WW2, it was only last year that I got started. Two years after clearing the family house following my mothers death, I thought I really must look through some of these boxes and see what I can chuck out!
1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION 70 Mount Pleasant Road, Maldon and Coombe M.B., Surrey NAME - DOB - OCCUPATION Fred J Barton - 06 Mar 1892 - Engine Driver Sewage Pump Ethel M Barton - 17 Aug 1896 - Unpaid Domestic Duties Sorry, this record is officially closed. Kenneth G Barton - 26 Mar 1923 - Apprentice Toolmaker Roy M Barton - 02 Jan 1928 - At School Sorry, this record is officially closed. Sorry, this record is officially closed. Sorry, this record is officially closed.