It is unknown at this stage whether S/L Barson had risen to this rank whilst with 59 Squadron (his memorial on the Canadian Honour Roll makes mention of him flying with 52 Sqn for two years, which may have been after his time with 59 or just an error) but he certainly had by the time of his discharge from the RAAF on the 20th of March 1946 and was last attached to 7th Aircraft Depot (RAAF Tocumwal Station). According to the book Endurance by Alwyn Jay (120 Sqn), Neville had reached the rank of S/L with 59 when he left the squadron in Dec of 1943. After the war Neville returned to Saskatoon in Canada were he had trained prior to placement in Britain with his wife (Mary) and joined the RCAF on the 30th June 1949. He was attached to No. 406 "City of Saskatoon" (Light Bomber) Squadron when he was killed in an aircrash during a heavy storm in 1954.

(Back LR): P/O Massina, Sgt Bailey, Sgt Pilon, P/O Lees (Front LR): F/O Blair, F/O Barson, F/O Longmuir: made one of the first 59 Sqn attacks (causing damages) for which the U-Boat (U-223) has been confirmed, on 01/03/1943 in Flying Fortress FL463 - D/59. At this time the squadron were detached to RAF Chivenor for patrols in the Bay of Biscay.

 

Prior to the breakout of war he had worked as a clerk at the well established firm Blake & Riggall Solicitors in Melbourne. He first enlisted on the 24th Jan. 1939 and joined the army, being posted to 2nd FD COY (2nd Field Company of the Australia Engineers) with the army number - VE292739. On the 19th of Dec 1939 he was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal. On the 14th of Sept 1940 he was discharged from the army upon enlistment in the RAAF.

Aug. 12, 1954 - A B-25 Mitchell from Saskatoon's 406 (Auxiliary) Squadron crashed during a night-time hailstorm near Simpson, roughly halfway between Regina and Saskatoon. All three crewmen aboard the bomber were killed: pilot S/L Neville Barson, co-pilot F/L Frank Klassen and radio operator F/O Victor Loewen. So fierce was the late evening hailstorm that many crops in the area were wiped out; there was speculation that the aircraft was hit by lightning. The downed Mitchell, which had been flying from Regina to Saskatoon, left a crater 20 feet deep. (Source: "Three RCAF officers die in bomber carsh", The Leader-Post, Aug. 13, 1954.) All three officer left wives and children; Barson was an Australian who had trained during the Second World War at Saskatoon, married and returned there after the war.

(www.vac.gc.ca)

Neville on leave with his crew - (photo album of H.R. Longmuir)