Victoria Cross hero Cyril Barton to be honoured on Sunderland's Veterans' Walk

Pilot Cyril Barton is one of the few to have ever been honoured with the military’s highest award after his bravery during WWII.

The 22-year-old, from Suffolk, who was a talented flying officer in RAF Bomber Command, died from his wounds after crash-landing his Halifax bomber in a Ryhope field, avoiding houses and pit-head workings, following an overnight air raid on Germany in March 1944.

The aircraft went down as it returned from a raid on Nuremberg, Germany, after running out of fuel due to heavy damage sustained on the mission. The selfless pilot, who’d managed to complete his bomber mission, steered the aircraft away from civilian areas as much as possible.

The other three remaining crew members survived. However, George Head, a Ryhope miner, was killed when he was struck by debris.

Cyril was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery on the Nuremburg mission and his attempts to avoid the houses of Ryhope during the crash landing.

Inspired by his heroics, an anonymous donor has paid for a stone in the Veterans’ Walk as a permanent recognition for the pilot.

The only walkway of its kind in the country, the pathway is weaving its way through Mowbray Park and now honours more than 1,000 military personnel past and present.

Rob Deverson, who established the Veterans’ Walk with former Para Tom Cuthbertson, said: “We have people with the George Cross and various other military medals honoured in the Veterans’ Walk, but this will be the first Victoria Cross awardee.

"We were approached by someone who wants to remain anonymous, but felt it was only right that Cyril was recognised as part of the military community.

"What Cyril achieved, with his aircraft so badly damaged, is phenomenal.”

Now more than 40 metres long, the pathway features names of Forces Personnel, including the Merchant Navy, from Sunderland and the North East, but also from as far away as Australia, Canada and Germany.

Set up by the family of Private Nathan Cuthbertson, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2008, as well as city businessman Rob Deverson, the walkway was laid with its first stones in 2016 and has since weaved its way around the Brothers in Arms memorial wall.

Each slab is engraved with the person’s name, their regimental badge and their years of service, from some dating back to WW1 to present day personnel.

Sunderland is home to one of the largest veteran communities in the country and surplus funds from The Veterans’ Walk are given to military charities.

Cyril’s stone will be laid in the next phase additions which will be unveiled in September.

It will be the latest recognition for the Flying Officer who is also honoured with a mural in Ryhope as well as new housing development called Barton Meadows.

The brave pilot’s Victoria Cross is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum in London.

:: Those interested in adding to the Veterans’ Walk can visit nationalveteranswalk.co.uk