Nicky Barr, An Australian Air Ace: A story of courage and adventureNicky Barr never deliberately sought danger or adventure, but when confronted with it he had the courage to face it and survive. In 1939, at the age of 23, Nicky Barr was chosen to represent Australia in the international rugby world tour. The day after the squad arrived in England, war was declared and the tour was cancelled. Nicky immediately signed-up to become a fighter pilot in the RAAF and while fighting Rommel's famed Afrika Korp in North Africa, quickly rose through the ranks to become a squadron leader. In the space of twelve months, Nicky shot down over twelve enemy planes, and was himself shot down three times. The third time, he was seriously wounded, including a leg injury that was to put an end to his rugby playing days, then captured and sent to Italy as a hospitalised prisoner of war. Nicky escaped four times-including once from a moving train. On the fourth escape he successfully evaded recapture and, together with a group of special operation commandoes, took part in a series of clandestine operations behind enemy lines and helped fellow prisoners of war escape. Nicky Barr earned a reputation amongst allies and enemies alike for his acts of bravery, his selflessness, his dogged determination and his infectious sense of humour. His is a story of adventure, war, courage and mortality, and the love for his wife that sustained him through it all. |
Contents
The Morning Before | |
The Early Years | |
Landing Ground 122 | |
Enter the Kittyhawks 6 Senussi Adventure | |
Cairo 8 Gambut | |
O eration enezia 10 Knightsbridge 11 Battle of the Cauldron 12 Bir Hacheim 13 Sidi Rezegh | |
Mersa Matruh 15 Tobruk | |
The Metamorphosis | |
Bergamo Revisited | |
Germany Bound | |
Pontremoli | |
AbruZZi | |
The Alpine Route | |
Cutello | |
Normandy 27 Australia | |
Other editions - View all
Nicky Barr, an Australian Air Ace: A Story of Courage and Adventure Peter Dornan Limited preview - 2005 |
Nicky Barr, an Australian Air Ace: A Story of Courage and Adventure Peter Dornan Limited preview - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
112 Squadron Agedabia Air Force Allied assist attack Australia Barr battle became Bobby Gibbes bombers bombs British bullets burst Cairo caught climbed Clive Caldwell cloud cockpit combat crashed damaged desert Desert Air Force dive Eighth Army enemy aircraft enemy lines engine escape escort eventually fighter fighting fire flames flew flight floor flying formation fuselage G-forces Gavi Gazala Geoff Chinchen German going Goriano Valli ground guards guns Hacheim Headquarters Italian Italy Jeffrey killed kilometres Kittyhawks L’Aquila landing Luftwaffe Mersa Matruh Messerschmitts metres Mildura mission morning motor moved needed Nicky Barr Nicky felt Nicky found Nicky knew Nicky noticed Nicky realised Nicky’s night o’clock officer operations parachute patrol Peter Jeffrey pilots plane Point Cook prisoners quickly RAAF roared Rommel’s shot sight situation smoke soldiers squadron leader strafing Stukas Sulmona tanks target Tobruk Tomahawk train troops turn waiting wounded