Harwood

This sweet young face belongs to Harwood Woodwark Barton, of Whitby.

The In Memoriam section appearing in the April 1919 edition of Harwood’s Bootham School magazine included the following description of their Old Scholar:

“He came to Bootham after being five years at Ackworth, and early showed considerable independence of character, which seemed destined to make whatever career he embarked on a successful one; and above all his personality was marked by a buoyancy of spirits and brightness of demeanour which won him friends on all sides.

Well might his CO. write: ‘His great characteristic of cheerfulness was a great asset in these days.’

Fired with ambition to take his part in the War, he entered the Flying Service very young.

At school he had entered with zest into everything that took place, especially outdoor life, and when a cadet he was one of the prime movers in a large sports meeting, which, alas was fated to be held on the day when, with full military honours, his body was laid to rest at his home town.

It was not only on the playground that his interests were centred, for his keenness in learning every detail of his profession was noted, and at the aerodrome his instructors were agreed that he had in him the making of a first-class pilot.

Although devoid of fear, he did not take unnecessary risks and it was all the more regrettable, therefore, that he should meet his death, soon after starting to fly alone, in one of those mishaps which are inseparably connected with an aviator’s career.”

Harwood was still only 17 and had just started to fly solo when, on the bright morning of 2nd July 1918, at an airfield near Dartford, he was practising a half-roll at about 300ft when he realised he was too low to come out of it.

In desperation, he opened the throttle and gunned the engine, which drove him vertically into the ground.

Harwood was brought home to Whitby to be buried with his Great-Grandparents at Larpool Lane and is Not Forgotten.