William Barr was born on May 11, 1924, the son of Joseph William Barr and Edith Isabella (nee Chester) Barr, of 260 Devine Street, Sarnia. William John Barr was a student of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Joseph schools, and was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish, Sarnia. At the age of sixteen, William would lose his father, Joseph William Barr, who would die in December of 1940. William would attend Sarnia Collegiate Institute, graduating at age eighteen.

Single at the time, William enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on May 12, 1942, the day following his eighteenth birthday. At the time of William’s death, he had one brother and two sisters: Leona Marie (born 1906, became Mrs. Robert J. Weston), living at 214 Confederation Street; and Pauline Jessie (born 1907), who became Second Lieutenant Pauline Jessie Barr serving with the U.S. Army as a nurse in Port Huron. William also had one brother, Donald Alexander (born 1909) who would also reside at 214 Confederation Street, Sarnia, with his sister Leona. William would train at Toronto, Fingal, and Centralia. In June of 1943, William would spend a brief furlough at home with his mother Edith on Devine Street. Exactly one year after his last leave in Sarnia, William would lose his life overseas. He would complete his training and graduate at Mont Joli, Quebec in October of 1943.

William went overseas in October of 1943 as a member of RCAF #630 Squadron “Nocturna Mors” (Death by Night), attaining the rank of Pilot Officer Air Gunner. During his time in France, he wrote regularly to his widowed mother, Edith, insisting that he wasn’t flying combat missions, because she feared for his life. On June 10, 1944, William was part of a crew aboard Lancaster aircraft PB121 when it was shot down over the target during a night trip to target Etaples, France, during the Battle of Normandy. In mid-June of 1944, Edith Barr in Sarnia would receive a telegram from Ottawa advising her that her son, Sergeant William J. Barr has been reported missing after an operational flight on June 10. In mid-July of 1944, Sgt. William Barr’s name would appear on the Department of National Defense for Air casualty list as, missing on active service after air operations overseas.

In early February of 1945, Edith Barr in Sarnia would receive notification from Ottawa informing her that her son, Sergeant William J. Barr, missing since June of 1944, has been promoted to the rank of pilot officer by the R.C.A.F. The promotion dated back to June 8. In mid-May of 1945, three months after receiving the promotion notification, and one week after VE Day ending the war in Europe, Edith received a telegram from Ottawa informing her that her son, PO. William Barr, R.C.A.F. was killed in action over Omerville, France on June 10 last. Though reported missing shortly after June 10th of 1944, this was the first official word of his death that had reached his family. William Barr would later be officially listed as Previously reported missing in action after air operations, now for official purposes, presumed dead, overseas (France). Perishing with Pilot Officer-Air Gunner William Barr were P/O R.E. Dennis; C.M. Houghton (RAF); and Sgt.s W.J. Bott (RAF), J.C. Cameron (RAF) and H. Ison (RAF). One of the crew, not Canadian, was taken Prisoner of War. Twenty year-old William Barr is buried in Omerville Communal Cemetery, Seine-et-Oise, France, Coll. Grave 3. On William Barr’s headstone are inscribed the words, Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; May his soul rest in peace.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, R, 2C, 2D