I first met Barry on 28 Sqn in Hong Kong in 1976, where I took over from him as the Junior Pilot, and we flew together often in Northern Ireland in the years after that. Barry was a towering character in every sense of the word, full of life and an excellent pilot to boot.
One of my (many) lasting memories of Barry was when he, as a fellow QHI, handed a Wessex over to me at Shawbury, on a running change. I strapped into the RHS and took control. He unstrapped from the LHS and, just as he was leaving the cockpit, he switched both fuel computers off, and pulled one speed select lever back. Last seen running away giggling. Meanwhile, I had to work out how on earth to get things back to normal without wrecking a gearbox!
Barry brightened the lives of all he came into contact with. It is very apt that his will not be a Funeral, but a Service of Celebration. I will be there to join that celebration.