Hero remembered Plaque for air ace who saved lives during crash
APLAQUE has been unveiled to honour a World War Two pilot who died in a ‘plane crash while steering the aircraft away from people on the ground.
Canadian Air Force pilot Sgt Norman Barbeau had taken off from Aston Down airfield, near Stroud and Cirencester on December 7 1941.
But his Spitfire struck a petrol tanker as it took off.
During his flight the port wing, which had hit the tanker, came off the aeroplane bringing it down almost immediately, but Sgt Barbeau, just 20, managed to crash the ‘plane into a tree in the middle of the road junction -avoiding the people nearby, many of whom were heading for church just a few hundred yards away on the Sunday morning.
He was killed instantly, but Sgt Barbeau had managed to prevent any other injuries or deaths though his bravery and skill.
The air ace’s heroic actions have been honoured in Swindon 80 years later.
To mark the 80th anniversary of his heroic actions, a blue plaque was put up on a house in Ermin Street very near the site of the crash.
It was organised by parish and borough councillor Roger Smith.
Mr Smith said: “We’d been wanting to do for some time, and the 80th anniversary was an appropriate time.” Mr Smith worked with other volunteers to organise the plaque and had invited Sgt Barbeau’s family from Canada and staff from the Canadian High Commission to attend.
He said: “His family in Ontario wanted to come but couldn’t because of the pandemic, and Lt Col Chris Barnard of the RCAF came as the representative of the High Commission.” As well as Swindon Mayor Garry Perkins and North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, the guest of honour was Susan Kidd - a Swindon residents who is actually a relative of Sgt Barbeau
She said at the unveiling: “Thank you for funding and arranging this plaque and the excellent way the garden opposite has been maintained and looked after.”
She and Lt Col Barnard planted a Canadian maple tree in the park across the road from the house.