Fraser Barron DSO & Bar, DFC, DFM (9 January 1921 – 20 May 1944), was an officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) who flew as a pilot with Bomber Command and was killed in flying operations during World War II.

Now flying Avro Lancaster bombers, he flew on several more missions until he was killed on 20 May 1944, when his aircraft and its crew crashed at Le Mans.

He was also interested in aviation; he was one of many boys who had a ride with Charles Kingsford Smith as the Southern Cross, a Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor monoplane, toured New Zealand in 1933.

[1][2] Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, Barron applied to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

Shortly before commencing the course, he was offered the opportunity to train with the Fleet Air Arm, provided he leave for England the following month.

[2] Here he spent several weeks learning to fly the two-engined Vickers Wellington medium bomber, at one stage surviving a ditching in the North Sea when an engine failed during a night-time navigation exercise.

15 Squadron, which was stationed at RAF Wyton, north of London, and operated flying Short Stirling heavy bombers.

Not being familiar with the aircraft, Barron had to undergo a series of conversion flights before embarking on his first operation, a bombing raid on Germany on the night of 7/8 July.

[15] Now a pilot officer, having been promoted earlier in the year,[16] he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) the following month,[17][18] the citation noting that Barron was "most reliable, efficient and courageous, pressing home his attacks regardless of opposition.

[24] His new unit was one of the founding squadrons of the Pathfinder Force, considered to be the elite of Bomber Command and tasked with locating and marking targets as the vanguard to the main bombing raid that would follow.

[26] After his 50th mission, a raid on 7 November that targeted Genoa in Italy, Barron traveled to Buckingham Palace, to be presented with the DFM by King George VI.

7 Squadron to bomb the target and successfully return, and a raid on Munich on 21 December, where his Stirling was attacked by a night fighter but thanks to the efforts of his flight engineer, Barron was able to fly his badly damaged bomber back to England.

It proved to be a notable action for Barron; over Cologne, he was targeted by over 30 searchlights for 15 minutes and subjected to a severe barrage of flak.

One engine of his Stirling was shot away over the city and on the return flight to England, a storm caused ice to form on the fuselage and wings.

Fortunately, the ice began to melt, and Barron was able to gain sufficient height to clear the channel and safely land.

[31] A few days after the dramatic Cologne mission, Barron was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)[32] for his "courage and skill, together with determination to strike at the enemy on every possible occasion and with the greatest destructive effect.

[35][36][37] The citation for his DSO, published in the London Gazette, read: "One night in February, 1943, this officer [Barron] was the captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne.

When nearing the target area his aircraft was held in a cone of searchlights and subjected to heavy fire from the ground defences.

Despite this, Flight Lieutenant Barron remained on his course, defying an intense and concentrated barrage, and pressed home a successful attack on his second run over the target.

[39] In late May, he returned to Buckingham Palace to be presented with his DFC and DSO and dined with the High Commissioner of New Zealand, Bill Jordan.

[40] As a highly decorated pilot, he was often involved in propaganda and recruitment drives and in June was photographed with Māori flying personnel from New Zealand who were undergoing training at 11 OTU.

[48] By April, the focus of Bomber Command's efforts was shifting to strategic targets in France, such as railways, bases and depots, in support for the forthcoming invasion of Normandy.

[51] On the night of 19/20 May 1944, Barron acted as master bomber in an attack on railway yards at Le Mans in France,[52] his 79th operation.

7 Squadron aircraft were all killed with Barron's Lancaster crashing into a Renault factory, close to the aiming point for the raid.

By his appreciation of the responsibilities entrusted to him and the skill and precision with which he executed his attack, Wing Commander Barron contributed in a large measure to the success achieved.

He is an outstanding captain whose example of skill, bravery and determination has impressed all.On 27 February 1948, his mother received the bar on his behalf from Governor General Sir Bernard Freyberg, in an investiture at Dunedin.