At this point Barrow was united with the men whose lives would become mutually dependent on each other if they were to survive the war: RAF pilot Andrew Leslie Cole and RAAF Wireless/Air gunners Leo Leslie J. Schultz and Robert Allen Stewart and RAF Navigator and Bomber Errol Walton Barrow spent four months training for operational missions in Nova Scotia, graduating on 7 April 1944. The newly formed crew returned to England and joined 88 squadron on 20 September 1944 part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF), flying Douglass Bostons (aka DB-7s and A-20s by the Americans) which were light bombers. Between 23 September 1944 and 26 March 1945 Errol Barrow would fly 48 operational sorties giving him 103 hours and 25 mins combat flying. During that time he would have seen first-hand the horrors of medium altitude bombing. Under battle conditions Barrow proved himself to be an exceptionally competent Navigator. His key task as Navigator was to get the pilot and crew to their destination, then once over the target to discharge the bomb load and then get the crew back home.