John Frederick "Tex" Barrick

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BARRICK, Sgt. John Frederick (R67788) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.17 Sq.
Award effective 23 July 1942 as per London Gazette dated 24 July 1942 and
AFRO 1243/42 dated 7 August 1942.

During the campaign in Burma this airman displayed exceptional keenness to engage the enemy. During raid in March 1942 he destroyed an enemy fighter in the air and probably destroyed another fighter and damaged a bomber on the ground. During another engagement he shot down an enemy aircraft which was closing in on one of his fellow pilots. Sergeant Barrick himself was attacked by two fighters during the combat, his engine failed and he was compelled to make a landing. Although almost blinded by oil he succeeded in his purpose without the assistance of flaps. The enemy continued to fire at him whilst he was on the ground. Although suffering from shrapnel splinters and the effects of hot oil on his face, chest and arms, Sergeant Barrick walked for some two hours until he reached some Chinese troops. Throughout he displayed great courage and fortitude. He has destroyed five enemy aircraft.

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Home Is The Hero

May 22, 1944 - It was early morning (May 8?), but Ottawa's Union Station was already jammed. The mayor was there with an air vice marshal, an Air Force band, a crowd of excited relatives. Some 200 Canadian airmen, from humble ground crewmen to two of Canada's top aces, were coming home after long tours overseas.

The 200 piled off the train, impatiently shuffled into line for the official twaddle of an official welcome. Suddenly they broke ranks and the real welcoming began. One airman appeared, brandishing an ice-cream cone. Another shouted: "Cones again!" Some of them had not seen an ice-cream cone in four years.

Royal Texans. Among them were two of the fighting Texans who crossed the Canadian border in such numbers before Pearl Harbor that the R.C.A.F. was sometimes called the "Royal Texas Air Force." Flight Lieut. "Tex" Barrick had thumbed his way from Odessa, Tex., to Canada, flown a Hurricane with the R.C.A.F., received a D.F.M. from the King. He intended to stay with the Canadians instead of joining the U.S. Army Air Forces. Said he: "You guys in Canada gave me a chance to fight, you spent a lot of money making me a pilot."

Another Texan turned Canadian was Air Gunner Raymond Carroll, veteran of 40 operational flights. Said he: "I married an English girl and as soon as this is over I'm going to settle in Vancouver." The crowd yelled approval.

Two Aces. Squadron Leader Bert Houle, of Massey, Ont., commanded the crack City of Windsor Squadron which fought in Malta, the Middle East, Britain. He was best known for getting two Germans in 15 seconds. He "squirted" at one, went underneath it, saw another, "squirted" him too. He wore the D.F.C.

Best known of all the repatriates was Canada's No. 1 ace, Flight Lieut. George ("Screwball") Beurling, who has 31 combat kills to his credit, a D.S.O., D.F.C. and a D.F.M. and bar. He returned briefly to Canada in 1942, then went back to England. Probably home now for good, he will teach deflection gunnery to Canada's fledglings. Said Spitfireman Beurling: "You couldn't get me in a bomber. They're too dangerous. . . . But the bombers are doing the real job. Fighter duels are just side shows. . ."

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Hurricane YB-B, the kite Barrick was flying when he got his first 2 kills

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Victories Include :

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American Aces

--- Canadian Aces ---

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