{"id":6012,"date":"2025-10-20T08:48:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T08:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/?page_id=6012"},"modified":"2025-12-31T13:14:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T13:14:20","slug":"william-j-barnfather","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wwii\/creighton\/william-j-barnfather\/","title":{"rendered":"William J.Barnfather"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-6012\" data-postid=\"6012\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-6012 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_cuzr670 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_izvx670 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_bryl670   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h2><strong>Key Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Name: <\/strong><\/span><strong>William John Barnfather<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>DoB:<\/strong> 16\/04\/1918<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Regt:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>DoD: <\/strong><\/span>24\/11\/1940<\/p>\n<p>Buried\/Commemorated<strong> GRANGEMOUTH (GRANDSABLE) CEMETERY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Academic Career<\/strong>: CS 1929-33<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Other:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Biographical Information<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_jhjq670 last\">\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_efrs247 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_d4fy247 first\">\n                    <!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_9ske247 \" data-behavior=\"accordion\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   gray\">\n            <li class=\"builder-accordion-active\">\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n                                                            Family Background                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"accordion-content tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_8pln247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_pjv7247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_xjcn247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Family Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>William John was the only child of Thomas Barnfather and his second wife Jane nee Rutherford. Thomas had been a railway signalman for the whole of his working life. Both the Rutherford and Barnfather families originated in Northumberland and were sheep famers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In the summer of 1940, William John married Vera Lightfoot, of Haltwhistle, Northumberland. He died a few weeks later in November.<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-1\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-1-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Academic Record                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-1-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_qpte247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_qslb247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_0ykd247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Academic Record<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-2\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-2-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            War Record                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-2-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_b254247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_g45w247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ccj2247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>War Service<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>Sergeant <strong>754627, 502 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the night of 23\/24 November 1940, Sgt Barnfather was the pilot of Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley Mk V Serial No P5090 of 5012 Squadron. The crew were tasked with undertaking convoy escort duties (Anti-submarine protection for shipping convoys) over the Atlantic and were returning from this duty, when it is thought that they became lost and crashed into a hillside at Loch Voil, 1m West of Balquidder, Stirlingshire.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Other members of the crew were:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sergeant J Westoby \u2013 2<sup>nd<\/sup> Pilot \u2013 Killed<\/p>\n<p>Pilot Officer J Whitsed \u2013 Observer \u2013 Killed<\/p>\n<p>Sergeant W S Hamilton \u2013 Air Gunner \u2013 Injured<\/p>\n<p>Sergeant J Curtis \u2013 Wireless Operator\/Air Gunner \u2013 Killed<\/p>\n<p>Sergeant J Perfect \u2013 Air Gunner &#8211; Killed<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>He and four crew crashed are buried together at Grangemouth. They were headed for Limavady in Northern Ireland.<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-3\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-3-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Other                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-3-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_hez9247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_7j5q247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ko31247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Other: Left school to become a hairdresser.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>From Wikipedia<\/p>\n<p>On 28 November 1938, No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron became part of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RAF_Coastal_Command\">RAF Coastal Command<\/a>, and was re-equipped with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Avro_Anson\">Avro Ansons<\/a>\u00a0in January 1939. When war broke out, the squadron was used to fly patrols in the Atlantic off the Irish Coast. From October 1940, the Squadron flew with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armstrong_Whitworth_Whitley\">Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-4\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-4-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Sources                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-4-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_7ain247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_yhbi247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_6um9247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>AIR 27\/1957\/10 National Archives pg 37<\/p>\n<p>Census returns (Ancestry)<\/p>\n<p>The Creighton Register<\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact &#8211; Air Historical Branch RAF<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Information Name: William John Barnfather DoB: 16\/04\/1918 Regt:\u00a0 DoD: 24\/11\/1940 Buried\/Commemorated GRANGEMOUTH (GRANDSABLE) CEMETERY Academic Career: CS 1929-33 Other:\u00a0 Biographical Information Family Background Family Background: William John was the only child of Thomas Barnfather and his second wife Jane nee Rutherford. Thomas had been a railway signalman for the whole of his working life. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":6001,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6012","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6012"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6336,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6012\/revisions\/6336"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}