SP(FC)04 Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp DFC AFC

Every time one thinks of Douglas Bader it is hard not to associate the name ?Paddy? - as firm friends there are many photographs and highly amusing stories linking the two. Barthropp volunteered for Fighter Command in August 1940 and after converting to Spitfires joined 602 Squadron. On the 21st he damaged a Do 17, on the 27th shared a He 111 and on 2 October shared a Ju 88. He was posted to 610 Squadron on 20 December 1940 and on 5 February 1941 he went to 91 Squadron. On 27 April he damaged a Do 17, on 4 June he probably destroyed at Bf 109, on the 9th he shot down a Bf 109 and on 17 August he shot down one Bf 109 and damaged another. On 24 August 1941 he rejoined 610 Squadron as ?B? Flight Commander. He was awarded the DFC (26.9.41) and posted to 61 OTU, Heston on 23 October. He returned to operations with 122 Squadron on 15 May 1942, but two days later, on a Boston escort-operation, he was shot down near St Omer and was captured after baling out and spent time in several PoW camps including Stalag Luft III.

Wing Commander Patrick Peter Colum Barthropp DFC AFC
5 victories
Hand signed 5in x 7in photograph - numbered and certified on reverse.
Accompanied by matching biography card giving RAF career details.