Tony Bartley
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Tony Bartley | |
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Second World War
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Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar |
Spouse(s) | |
Relations | Lex Shrapnel (grandson) |
Other work | Test pilot, television and film executive, and author |
Anthony Charles Bartley, DFC & Bar (28 March 1919 – 18 April 2001) was a British film and television executive, and fighter pilot. As a Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfire pilot, Bartley was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during the Battle of Britain, during which he became a fighter ace.
Early life
Bartley was born in
Bartley attended
]RAF career
In 1938, Bartley learned to fly.[1] He was commissioned as an acting pilot officer in the Royal Air Force on 18 April 1939;[2] this rank was made permanent, albeit on probation, on 21 October 1939.[3]
He flew with No. 92 Squadron through the Battle of France, seeing action over Dunkirk, and then during Battle of Britain,[1] and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October 1940, by which time he had been credited with shooting down "at least eight enemy aircraft".[4]
After serving in No. 74 Squadron in early 1941, Bartley undertook an instructional role at several operational training units before undertaking a role as a test pilot at Vickers Supermarine in July 1941. In early 1942, he returned to operational flying, being posted No. 65 Squadron; initially, he filled the role of flight commander, but later took command of the squadron in May 1942. In August 1942, he took command of No. 111 Squadron, and led them during Operation Torch, in North Africa, until January 1943. For his service in North Africa, he received a bar to his DFC in February 1943.[1]
After returning to the United Kingdom, he then served on the staff of
At the end of the war Bartley's combat total included 12 (and 1 shared) destroyed, 1 unconfirmed destroyed, 5 'probables' and 8 'damaged'.[1]
On 19 November 2021, it was announced that the seven medals Bartley received for his wartime service would be auctioned by
Film industry
Following his demobilisation in 1946,
Personal life
Bartley and Kerr had two daughters, Francesca and Melanie. Through Francesca they have three grandsons, actors Lex Shrapnel and Tom Shrapnel as well as the writer Joe Shrapnel. Bartley and Kerr divorced in 1959 and he married again in 1965 to Victoria Mann.[citation needed]
Bartley died in 2001.[5] He was survived by Mann and their two daughters, Cindy and Teresa, as well as by Francesa and Melanie. Mann passed away in 2019.[citation needed]
Bibliography
- Bartley, Anthony. (1984). Smoke Trails in the Sky. William Kimber. ISBN 978-0-7183-0517-8
- Bartley, Tony. (1997). Smoke Trails in the Sky: The Journals of a Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot. Crecy Publishing Ltd; 2nd edition. ISBN 978-0-947554-63-7
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-898697-00-8.
- ^ "No. 34617". The London Gazette. 18 April 1939. p. 2594.
- ^ "No. 34742". The London Gazette. 25 November 1939. p. 7962.
- ^ "No. 34978". The London Gazette. 25 October 1940. p. 6194.
- ^ a b Minchin, Rod (19 November 2021). "Second World War fighter ace's medals go under the hammer". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ Smoke Trails in the Sky
External links
- Tony Bartley at IMDb
- Autobiography "Smoke Trails in the Sky" (1984)
- "The Daily Telegraph" Obituary
- Imperial War Museum Interview
- Memorial Notice for Victoria Bartley