Eric Barwell, DFC & Bar (6 August 1913 – 12 December 2007) was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

Born in Clare, Suffolk, Barwell, a serving member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, was called up for service in the RAF on the outbreak of the Second World War.

264 Squadron, he flew Boulton Paul Defiant fighters during the later stages of the Battle of France when the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk.

Later in the war he achieved further aerial victories flying the De Havilland Mosquito heavy fighter and was awarded a Bar to his DFC.

[5] This was a newly formed unit that was stationed at RAF Martlesham Heath and working up with the new Boulton Paul Defiant turret fighter.

[5] By this time the squadron had largely overcome the initial issues it had experienced with the Defiant and the following month it became operational, doing patrol work.

[8] Two days later, the squadron made two afternoon sorties to Dunkirk, from where the British Expeditionary Force was being evacuated; in the first, Barwell and his gunner, Pilot Officer J. Williams, destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.

Its own losses over Dunkirk were high, as the German fighter pilots quickly learned to avoid approaching the Defiants from the rear.

[6][10] It was recalled to Manston on 23 August in order to help relieve the hard pressed RAF fighter squadrons in the south of England.

[12] On 24 August, a force of Junkers Ju 88 medium bombers attacked Manston while Barwell was leading a section on patrol over the airfield.

For the remainder of the Battle of Britain, the squadron was consigned to night fighting duties and convoy protection patrols over the North Sea.

[15] In February, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, by which time he was married to Ruth née Birchall, an officer in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.

264 Squadron soon began to make successful interceptions and on the night of 10 April, Barwell, still with paired with Martin, shot down one He 111 over Beachy Head and probably destroyed a second in the same area.

[1] This was a newly formed night fighter unit at Colerne and equipped with Defiants before shifting to Fairwood Common where it became operational in late September.

It began to receive the Bristol Beaufighter heavy fighter in February 1942 but at the same time, the rank to lead the squadron was upgraded to wing commander.

[1][2] With the new aircraft, Barwell's squadron began to make successful interceptions and on the night of 2 July, he damaged a Dornier Do 217 medium bomber near Cardiff.

[2] The previous day, his brother Philip, at the time commander of the RAF station at Biggin Hill, was shot down and killed; flying in company with Squadron Leader Bobby Oxspring, the pair were attacked by RAF fighters in an incident of friendly fire, Philip going down into the English Channel.

Flying one of these to the south of Melksham on the night of 23 April, and guided by his radar operator, Flight Lieutenant D. Haigh, he destroyed a Ju 88.

Soon afterwards, the squadron was engaged in Operation Diver, the RAF's campaign against German V-1 flying bombs launched at southeast England from sites in France.

[2][18] A few days afterwards, he was awarded a Bar to his DFC;[1] the citation, published in The London Gazette, read: This officer has completed a very large number of sorties and his example of keenness, determination and devotion to duty has been worthy of the highest praise.

[22] Barwell's company commercialised proprietary technology relating to rubber engineering and eventually was brought out by an American concern.