Raymond Harries
Encyclopedia
Squadron Leader Raymond Hiley Harries DSO & Bar
DFC
& Bar
was a British
flying ace
of the Second World War. Harries scored 15 victories against enemy aircraft, as well as three shared kills, two probable kills and five damaged during the war. Harries is also credited with the destruction of a V-1 flying bomb
.
when war broke out. Joining the RAFVR in September 1939, after training Harries was posted to No. 43 Squadron at Drem
in Scotland
. He was then posted on 8 July 1941 to 52 OTU at Debden
as an instructor. In February 1942 he joined No. 131 Squadron RAF
, based at Llanbedr
as a flight commander, and claimed his first kill, a Junkers Ju 88
, soon after. He served with the unit until December 1942, when he became CO of 91 Squadron, and in April 1943 received the new Mark XII Spitfire and were based at Hawkinge
.
Harries was ultimately the most successful pilot to fly the Rolls-Royce Griffon
powered Supermarine Spitfire
, scoring 11 kills in the type, including a brace of Focke-Wulf Fw 190
s on 25 May 1943. Flying a Spitfire XII, Harries intercepted the Fw 190s from SKG 10:
Josef Keller.
In June the squadron moved to Westhampnett
to form a Mk XII fighter wing with No. 41 Squadron.
On 18 July 1943 Harries shot down three Bf 109's while flying MB831. In doing so he became the first pilot to reach five kills in the Griffon-engined Spitfire.
Harries became Wing Leader in August 1943, and by November, had been awarded a total of 3 DFC's and a DSO.
In early 1944 Harries was went to the United States
, to lecture on fighter tactics, only to return and become Wing Leader of 135 Wing, 2nd TAF, in the spring of 1944.
On 22 September 1943 Harries claimed one Fw 190 shot down and another as a probable. The Westhampnett Wing were the highest scoring Wing in Fighter Command for the month of September, claiming 27 kills.
On 20 October 1943 Harries shot down a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 109
Gs near Rouen
, his last kills in the type.
In January 1945 he underwent a conversion course on the Hawker Tempest
, prior to the wing being re-equipped, but was posted then to 84 Group as Wing Commander/Training.
After the war he was awarded a bar to the DSO, and served as CO, No. 92 Squadron in 1949.
On 14 May 1950 he died while flying in a Gloster Meteor
when it crashed near Sheffield, Yorkshire. His funeral was held at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
on the 18 May 1950.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of the Second World War. Harries scored 15 victories against enemy aircraft, as well as three shared kills, two probable kills and five damaged during the war. Harries is also credited with the destruction of a V-1 flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
.
War service
Born in South Wales in 1916, Harries was a dental student at Guy's HospitalGuy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
when war broke out. Joining the RAFVR in September 1939, after training Harries was posted to No. 43 Squadron at Drem
Drem
Drem is a small village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is approximately 20 miles east of Edinburgh and is close to Haddington , North Berwick , Dirleton and Gullane ....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was then posted on 8 July 1941 to 52 OTU at Debden
Debden
Debden could mean:* Debden, Epping Forest, England** Debden House, adult education college** Debden tube station* Debden, Uttlesford, England** RAF Debden* Debden, Saskatchewan, Canada...
as an instructor. In February 1942 he joined No. 131 Squadron RAF
No. 131 Squadron RAF
No. 131 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a night bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
, based at Llanbedr
Llanbedr
Llanbedr is a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales.The village originally grew around the slate quarrying industry. Attractions in Llanbedr include Neolithic standing stones and Bronze Age hut circles. The Morfa Dyffryn sand dunes and Mochras lie nearby...
as a flight commander, and claimed his first kill, a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
, soon after. He served with the unit until December 1942, when he became CO of 91 Squadron, and in April 1943 received the new Mark XII Spitfire and were based at Hawkinge
Hawkinge
Hawkinge is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The original village of Hawkinge is actually just less than a mile due east of the present village centre ; the modern, much larger, village of Hawkinge was formed by the merging of Hawkinge and Uphill...
.
Harries was ultimately the most successful pilot to fly the Rolls-Royce Griffon
Rolls-Royce Griffon
The Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited...
powered Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, scoring 11 kills in the type, including a brace of Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
s on 25 May 1943. Flying a Spitfire XII, Harries intercepted the Fw 190s from SKG 10:
I was leading Blue Section on a defensive patrol. I had just returned to base, with my No 2, had just landed when the scramble signal was given from the watch office. We both immediately took off again, and saw enemy aircraft approaching FolkestoneThe Fw 190 was thought to be Fw 190A-5 Wrk Nr 2511 of 6./SKG 10, flown by OberleutnantFolkestoneFolkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
. I sighted one lone Fw 190 at sea level returning to France. I came in from his starboard side, delivering a three-second burst at 250 yards. The enemy aircraft hit the sea tail first, split in two, and sank immediately.
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Josef Keller.
I then spotted another Fw 190 to starboard. I flew straight over the top of it in order to identify it in the failing light. The enemy aircraft pulled his nose up and gave me a quick squirt. I pulled straight up to about 1000ft, and turning to port, dived right onto his tail, opening fire from 300 yards and closing to 150 yards. I fired a four-second burst, seeing strikes and flames all over the enemy aircraft. The enemy aircraft gradually lost height, with smoke and flames coming from it, skimmed for some distance along the surface of the water and then sank. I orbited around taking cine gun snaps of the oil patch and pieces of wreckage that were visible.
In June the squadron moved to Westhampnett
Westhampnett
Westhampnett is a village and civil parish in the district of Chichester in West Sussex, England located north-east of Chichester on the former A27 road, now by-passed.-History:...
to form a Mk XII fighter wing with No. 41 Squadron.
On 18 July 1943 Harries shot down three Bf 109's while flying MB831. In doing so he became the first pilot to reach five kills in the Griffon-engined Spitfire.
Harries became Wing Leader in August 1943, and by November, had been awarded a total of 3 DFC's and a DSO.
In early 1944 Harries was went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, to lecture on fighter tactics, only to return and become Wing Leader of 135 Wing, 2nd TAF, in the spring of 1944.
On 22 September 1943 Harries claimed one Fw 190 shot down and another as a probable. The Westhampnett Wing were the highest scoring Wing in Fighter Command for the month of September, claiming 27 kills.
On 20 October 1943 Harries shot down a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
Gs near Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, his last kills in the type.
In January 1945 he underwent a conversion course on the Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
, prior to the wing being re-equipped, but was posted then to 84 Group as Wing Commander/Training.
After the war he was awarded a bar to the DSO, and served as CO, No. 92 Squadron in 1949.
On 14 May 1950 he died while flying in a Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
when it crashed near Sheffield, Yorkshire. His funeral was held at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse is a Royal Air Force station at Linton-on-Ouse near York in Yorkshire, England. It is currently a major flying training centre, one of the RAF's busiest airfields...
on the 18 May 1950.