Heslop Miles Frederick Barnitt
Born 13 Jan 1918 - Died 20 Oct 1940
- Service number
- 40981 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Flying Officer/Military AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 203 Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Heslop Miles Frederick AWMM
- Surname
- Barnitt AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- 40981 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 13 Jan 1918 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- WW2 Parents: Mr & Mrs F. H. Barnitt, 488 Devon Street, New Plymouth AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- 40981 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- —
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Royal Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Air Accident, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed in an aircraft accident AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Flying Officer/Military AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 203 Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of Frederick Heslop and Florence Amelia Barnitt, of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.
Flying Officer Barnitt captained aircraft operating out of Aden on convoy escort and reconnaissance over the Red Sea and its southern approaches. Barnitt several times dove off enemy bombers attacking ships in the approaches to Aden. According to Thompson (1959), he took on three Italian aircraft threatening a convoy, shooting down one and seriously damaging another. The crew of an escort ship described this as ‘a very gallant action’.
Flying Officer Barnitt's Distinguished Flying Cross, recommended sometime earlier, was confirmed shortly after his death. He was the first New Zealander in the Middle East to receive a decoration for war service.
Attended New Plymouth Boys' High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607))
Joined Royal Air Force 1938. 533 hours (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 20 Oct 1940 AWMM
Age 22 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Air Accident AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- North Point Christian Cemetery, Kamaran Island AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Maala Memorial No 2, Maala Cemetery, Aden Peninsula, Yemen AWMM
Sources
- External links
- Thompson, H. (1959). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol III). Wellington: Dept of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital Copy
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-3RAF.html
Sources Used - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2208447
Further Reference - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ab - B. Archives New Zealand (R17845607).
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845607
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845744
Sources Used - Aircrew Remembered:
https://aircrewremembered.com/barnitt-heslop-miles-frederick.htmlPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 9 October 2025 - Internet research - Flight Safety Foundationj:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/309104Public - Antonio - Researcher - 9 October 2025 - Internet research - Flight Safety Foundation:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/181219Public - Antonio - Researcher - 9 October 2025 - Internet research
- Thompson, H. (1959). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol III). Wellington: Dept of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital Copy
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ab - B. Archives New Zealand (R17845607) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [(New Zealanders Attached to R.A.F. [Royal Air Force]) (Officers), (Europe) - Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Deceased New Zealanders (Formerly) serving with RAF [Royal Air Force]. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845760).
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