Page 15 - RAF Magazine

FATHER OF A NATION;

FIGHTER FOR FREEDOM

Errol Barrow’s time in the RAF gave him the drive and discipline to become the fi rst
Prime Minister of Barbados and lead his country to independence, writes Alan Smith

Errol Barrow He became a navigator rather than
21 January, 1920 - 1 June, 1987 a pilot – a failed eye test meant that
Years of service: 1940-1947 was his destiny. The navigator’s
role was critical. As the Imperial
he RAF in its 100 years has produced many War Museum tells it: “The
T who have played essential roles in the cause of navigator was responsible for
freedom and democracy. keeping the aircraft on course
In Errol Barrow – black, Barbadian, bold, brave – the at all times, reaching the target
RAF helped to produce a phenomenon that is probably and then the home base. He
unique to date in its history and is likely to remain so: an had to maintain a high level of
RAF offi cer who became a statesman and a founding concentration for virtually the
father of his nation. whole of the fl ight, which could be
Errol Barrow, born in 1920, was Prime Minister of up
Barbados from 1961 to 1976, and again from 1986 until to seven
his death in offi ce in 1987. He co-founded the party hours.”
which led Barbados to independence in 1966, and was “…the exposure Barrow’s Squadron
the country’s fi rst premier. and experience the Leader paid him the
Attending Harrison College in Barbados, he won a RAF gave Barrow highest compliment:
Barbados Island scholarship. He deferred attending “Of course I remember
university, choosing instead to join the RAF. helped develop the young Barrow. After
He signed up on December 31, 1940, and was mental toughness, all, he was the only
commissioned as an offi cer in November 1944. self-belief and sheer black chap in the
So here we have an African Caribbean man way back chutzpah he would squadron, couldn’t
in the day choosing to pass up a safe and comfortable miss him. Bloody
life to fi ght for Great Britain’s freedom. Remarkable need to go back good Navigator – fi rst
when you think about it. In doing so, he was to Barbados and class. Get you there,
commencing his fi ght for freedom for his own country, create his own free get you back. Can’t
and putting his life country…” ask more than that,
on the line to can you? Never got in
do so. a fl ap... Good man to
have along.”
His RAF log book – which he kept prominently in his
study at home in Barbados – recorded his RAF journey.
The RAF Museum notes 45 bombing operations against
targets in occupied Europe and Germany. He survived
six crashes and two bullet wounds in the shoulder.
“After that very little daunts me,” Barrow noted later.
After VE Day, he became the personal navigator of Sir
Sholto Douglas, Commander in Chief, British Air Forces
of Occupation in Germany.
He left active service in 1947, studied at LSE, and
returned to Barbados in 1950.
The rest is history – he helped form a country which
today is consistently rated as one of the world’s freest
democracies.
US President Lyndon Johnson hosted Barrow at
the White House in September 1968.
He described him as the “man from Barbados who
came to fi ght… in the Royal Air Force… a great champion
of freedom”.

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