The Men in the Shed - Recently Updated Pages

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fozman — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:42:26 CDT

17th August 2009

At the end of July, I went back to Normandy & did a little "digging around", the result of which was finding a piece of John Harder's Spirfire which we pulled out of a hedge, Ray Elledge's crash site & "The Monsastery" where Ray was held as a PoW (along with lots of other PoWs) & where he met up with Francis Gillespie, Gerald Willen & Morris Sheppard.

There's a PDF summary as an attachment to this page

4th July 2009

To help celebrate the 4th July, with Independence Day in the US, the RAF Museum at Hendon have launched a new online exhibition 'Americans in the Royal Air Force'.

This exhibition explores the contribution that the Eagle Squadrons, the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) and Billy Fiske,amongst others, made to the defence of Britain during World War II.

As part of the exhibition the Museum invites its online visitors to narrate any stories that they may have about Americans who served in the RAF and from any Americans who have served in and worked alongside members of the RAF.

Here is a general link to the exhibition: Americans in the RAF and more specifically, here is a link to the pages concerning John Harder

Flt Lt JW Harder

fozman — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:44:49 CDT

Some basic information

John Worthington Harder was an American citizen with a civilian pilot’s licence who appears to have joined the RAF in America, as an ‘Eagle’, in late 1941. By the end of the November he was under training with the RAF contingent at the Spartan School of Aeronautics. Over the following weeks and months he consistently refused offers to transfer to the USAAF after Pearl Harbour and America’s entry into the war.

After completing his training in early March 1942, Harder was posted to Britain. The next year of his career is somewhat hazy, but there are clear indications in his letters and habits (such as numbering operations in his log book) that he served for at least a short time on operations with a night bomber unit. Family tradition and some of the later newspaper articles about him also claim time with Coastal Command and on the trans-Atlantic ferry routes, although there is no documentary evidence for this.

His record of service shows for that year:
Attends medical board, declared A4B Unfit with defective vision, 1 May 1942.
Sent to 2 Officers School, Cosford, 27 May 1942.
Attends medical board, declared A1B fit, 16 October 1942.
Returns to 3 PRC, Bournemouth, 19 October 1942.
Posted to 17 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, Watton, 20 October 1942.
Posted to 58 (Day fighter) Operational Training Unit, Grangemouth, 22 December 1942.

What is clear is that his night sight let him down, but after purchasing some contact lenses he remustered as a fighter pilot. After undertaking conversion training from late 1942, he was posted to 64 Squadron in March 1943. He remained with this unit for the next 16 months, achieving the rank of Flight Lieutenant and becoming a flight commander (at times leading the whole squadron).

Harder was shot down while conducting ground attack operations over Normandy on 24 July 1944. After an attempted evasion he was captured, and eventually sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan. In February 1945 he was transferred to the satellite camp at Belaria. Shortly after the move he was moved as part of the Long March. According to later letters he was liberated by the Russians, but then escaped from Russian lines and made his way to American forces in early May. After a week in Belgium he was evacuated to the UK, arriving on 17 May 1945.

Harder seems to have considered remaining in the RAF as a career option, and after a period of leave (including to America) he joined 567 Squadron. Here he was engaged on anti-aircraft co-operation duties, although he also picked up some experience on Meteors. By the end of the year his rank had been reverted to Pilot Officer, and it is clear from his letters that he was feeling constrained by the routine and regulations of the peace-time RAF. Harder left the RAF in February 1946.

Harder remained in aviation after the war, possibly (again according to family stories, but unclear in log book) flying during the Arab-Israeli War. Through the 1950s and 1960s he worked for a succession of air lines established by himself (Commandair Inc., Starflite Inc.). He died in 1977.

Summary produced by Stuart Hadaway - RAF Museum, Hendon UK

The RAF Museum at Hendon have just (4/7/09) launched an online exhibition of Americans serving with the RAF & John Harder features in this:

Room Mates

fozman — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:28:34 CDT

John Harder's PoW diary records the names (& some addresses) of his room mates whilst at Stalag Luft 3 & I'll be posting these here, shortly. However, through the magic of "Google", I've come across this site about one of these people...

Bruce Keen

Whats it all about?

fozman — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:43:50 CST

This is a Wiki that I’m putting together to help me make sense of all of the research I’ve done & information that I’ve found out about 18 Allied Prisoners of War who for a short while (following the D Day landings) in 1944 were held in a wooden shed in Normandy.

I found out about them from a friend who bought the cottage that the shed belonged to who knew I was interested in Military History.

So, hopefully, someone out there will find this interesting & who knows, it may spark some memories!

There's some brief background information here which explains a little about how I became involved, but the key pages are here as these are the individual pages to each of these Captured Allied servicemen held as Prisoners of War.

Some of the pages, for example those relating to Flt Lt John Worthington Harder have lots of content & details as his family have not only retained large amounts of memorabilia, but have kindly allowed me access to it; similarly, pages for Pte Thomas Blunt, Cpl Tom Caldwell and M/Sgt Morris Sheppard have a reasonable amout of detail. However, many of the other pages have limited information (as yet) as I have been unable to trace relatives or find out much more about them other than some basic details.

Links

fozman — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:10:43 CST

Here I've pulled together some sites that you may find to be of interest... they're not in any particular order of preference as they're all good :-)

If you want to find out more about the American pilots of 506th & 508th Squadrons & 404th Fighter Group, then you need to head over to John Levesley's pages which detail their time at Winkton Advance Landing Ground near Bournemouth on the South Coast of England; there's also a copy of the history of the Fighter Group on these pages that makes for interesting reading

John Harder flew his last mission before being captured from RAF Harrowbeer in Devon. Stephen Fryer has put together an interesting website recording the history of this station & was one of the links in the chain of events leading to my initial contact with John Harder's family.

Also of great interest in the "Harder" story is the RAF Museum at Hendon. It's a fantastic place to visit if you're in the area (and even if you're not, it's worth the trip!) & if you want to do some research into a relative's RAF history, then their DORIS department may be able to assist. They also have copies of the information that I've researched in respect of John Harder. For reference, they have been designated in their catalogue as X004-6012/011 (first log book), X004-6012/012 (second log book) and X004-6012/013 (PoW journal). They have been electronically linked to the main Flt Lt John Worthington Harder Collection - X004-6016 - in their catalogue, so anyone coming across one part of the collection will automatically be made aware of all the other pieces. If you need specific halp, then Stuart Hadaway (one of the Assistant Curators) has been really helpful in pulling together information.

If these pages have stirred some interest & you'd like to read more stories about the "Greatest Generation", then there are two sites that I can definitely recommend. The first is the People's War pages on the BBC Website; the second is a site pulled together by Frank Everards - D Day, Normandy & Beyond. So far, Frank has pulled together well over 200 veterans stories from the Second World War.

64 Sqn RAF

fozman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:06:12 CST

No. 64 SQUADRON

Badge: A scarabee.

Motto: “Tenax proposit” (“Firm of the purpose”)

The Scarabee is an Egyptian heiro-glyphic and represents the squadron’s association with Egypt.

The squadron was found at Sedgford on 1st August, 1916, and for ten months served on instructional flying. However in June, 1917, it received D.H.5’s and began to work up for France as a ground-attack squadron. This involved much low-flying training and low-flying information. It went to France, and on 20th November was launched into ground-strafing in the Battle of Cambrai with four 25-Ib. bombs in addition to the forward-firing Vickers gun. During this battle the squadron was extremely effective but suffered a high casualty rate, of aircraft particularly. This type was only suitable for ground-attack work and in January, 1918, was replaced by the S.E.5a. This involved some weeks of conversion as the squadron had only trained for low-level work and No. 64 was again operational in March in time for the intensive fighting of that month.
From then on there was no let-up for the squadron and as it swung over to the offensive so the hours went up, and the score also.
August was the peak month when 1,132 hours were flown. In the period March to August No. 64 shot down 128 enemy aircraft. After august the squadron was more and more engaged in ground-strafing until the Armistice brought the squadron’s activities to an end. It returned to England in February, 1919, and was disbanded on 31st December that year.

The squadron was reformed as a two-seater fighter squadron at Heliopolis on the 1st march, 1936, and a month later moved to its operational base at Ismailia. Initially the squadron was restricted by sand damaging the R.R Kestrel engines. In August it returned to the U.K but did not receive its aircraft until November. It then worked up as part of the defence of the U.K. at Martlesham, moving north to Church Fenton in May, 1938.
In 1939 it re-equipped with Blenheim if’s and concentrated on night-flying so that on the outbreak of war it was operational at night only. A month later it was also flying day patrols over the North Sea together with night scrambles, all of which proved abortive. This type of flying continued until April, 1940, when No. 64 re-equipped as a day-fighter squadron with Spitfires. On 16th May it flew south to join in the fierce fighting over Dunkirk finding its first contact with enemy aircraft on 21st May over Boulogne and scoring its first victory on the 29th when Flight Sergeant Flynn in K9813 destroyed a BF 109; however in the same dogfight No. 64 lost three pilots including the C.O.

Fighting continued until the evacuation was complete then the squadron became involved in the fighting over the Channel which led into the Battle of Britain.
July and August were hectic months for No. 64 and more than two dozen aircrafts were destroyed between the 1st July and 18th August on which date the squadron was sent North for a rest and rehabilitation as many pilots had been shot down.

In September only one combat was made but in October the squadron returned to the south and action. The following month it joined the Hornchurch Wing with which it was to fly on and off for over two years.

In the New Year (1941) it was on the offensive, flying escort sorties to Blenheims’ daylight-bombing attacks on Continental targets. These were interspersed with fighter sweeps. Some of these earlier sweeps tended to overreach themselves and on 2nd February three of the squadron’s aircraft forced landed through lack of fuel on the way back to Rochford. In March some tentative moonlight patrols were attempted and April the squadron began Rhubarbs as well as making further attempts at night operations. This was cut short however by posting north for six months during which period only one action was fought. Morale began to drop with the continued lack of activity and with it the accident rate rose. However in November No. 64 was back in the Hornchurch routine of sweeps and bomber escorts and as the spring of 1942 wore on so increased activity came No. 64’s way.

By now, however, the Focke-Wulf FW 190 was well on the scene and proving superior to the Vb Spitfire with which most of Fighter Command’s squadron were equipped. The answer was the Spitfire IX and No. 64 became the first squadron to receive them, in June 1942.

The squadron spent some time converting to this new version and used them first in action on 30th July when fifteen FW 190’s were attacked off the French coast, three being destroyed and two damaged for no loss. The squadron was now detailed for escort duties to the early U.S. B-17 raids and in August practice sweeps with them were flown before September brought the real raids. By now the squadron was fully active on fighter sweeps and bomber escorts once more but with the onset of winter the whether more and more cut down operations.

In the spring of 1943 it reverted to Spitfire Vb’s when it flew north and while there it practised aircraft carrier landings, eventually flying practice landings on H.M.S Argus on 23rd May, 1943, with complete success.

This was not followed up, however and the squadron continued with convoy patrols, sector recce and A.S.R. searches. It was back south again in August flying bomber escort in the main together with “Jim Crow” sorties and coastal anti-shipping strafing attacks; not until July,1944, did No. 64 receive Spitfire IX’S again. Bomber escorts and Rhubarbs were now once more the squadron’s daily tasks and this was intensified and extended when No. 64 went over to Mustangs. With these No. 64 flew bomber escort sorties almost entirely until 4th May, 1945, when No. 64’s last operation was coastal “Roadstead” on Kiel.

This website: http://www.thesoutheastecho.co.uk/64_squadron.htm has a list of stations & lists of the pilots that flew with the Squadron

Big Bird Stubs Toe

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:55:54 CST

This refers to the time when John Harder was a test pilot for Boeing & on one of the tests for the 747 the pilot (Harder was co-pilot) misjudged the approach on a shorter than normal runway & ended up damaging the 'plane.

John's son Lewis recalls: I remember it well, It was the first 747 crash and Dad's first crash (without the help of German bullets)

It was obvious that the 'plane didn't suffer permanent damage as here's a photo of it later in life... http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=691831

The accident report is available here as an attachment, below

There were plenty of newspaper reports at the time... here's a selection as supplied by Wayne Harder

Obituary - Harder

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:51:37 CST

Services for Capt. John W. Harder, aviation hero

A memorial service for Capt. John W. Harder, 53, a Royal Air Force hero in World War II, will be held at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina. He died Monday.

Mr. Harder was born in New York City and had attended high school in Southboro, Mass.

He had joined the RAF at the age of 16 and had been assigned to Allied Ferry Command to fly Hudson bombers from California to England. At 19, he had been the youngest wing commander in the RAF as a pilot in the 64th Fighter Squadron.

Captain Harder shot down numerous enemy planes during-World War II. His Spitfire was shot down over France in 1944 and he was captured by the Germans.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, second only to the Victoria Cross in recognition of heroic conduct.

In 1956, he founded Starflite, Inc., a charter-flying service. He was a personal pilot for Lady Bird Johnson during her beautification-of-America campaign.

He also had been a senior pilot instructor for the Boeing Co. from 1967 to 1970.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; three sons, Fred, Michael and Lewis; four daughters, Carol, Barbara, Maggie and Amy; his mother, Gertrude Harris Burton; four brothers, Lewis, Philip, Avery and Henry; and two sisters, Cynthia and Jennifer.

The family suggests that remembrances be made to the Puget Sound Blood Center.

In addition to this "official" obituary, over in France, the local newspaper in Evron published the following...

Saved in 1944 by the people of Evron

John Harder is dead…

In 1972 at Evron Town Hall, Mr Harder is between Mr Mauduit & Mr Leblanc

Mr John Harder is dead. This news has recently reached Evron where this American pilot had been officially received in May 1972, after having 28 years earlier lived an adventure in which two local inhabitants, Mr Leblanc and his mother had been involved.

John Harder “pilot adventurer” to use an American magazine phrase enlisted from the start of WW2 with the RAF in England at a time when the USA was neutral.

During a mission along the Paris – Brest railway line his plane (a Spitfire) was hit by anti aircraft fire above Rennes. It was only above Laval when the pilot noticed that his plane had been damaged and that he had to parachute out.

The Spitfire crashed at Mezangers and John Harder not far from there.

5000 German soldiers were stationed at Evron and several detachments set off at once in search of the pilot.

Mrs Leblanc and her son who now live in Evron lived at that time in a farm at Mortry, quite near the plane’s crash site. They likewise set off to try to find the pilot before he might be captured by the Germans.

Mr Marcel Leblanc, aged 21, came across him on the road, he made him put on his jacket and hat and took him home on his cart using the main road. The Germans who they encountered several times did not recognise the man they were looking for.

Refusing to spend the night in the house which did not have an emergency exit, John Harder slept in a haystack and departed the next day, dressed in civilian clothes, in an attempt to cross the German lines. Laundry Ticket Mr and Mrs Leblanc heard no news about the pilot until the day when, 25 years later, they told Mr Bertrand Mauduit of their adventure. With the information and a laundry ticket bearing John Harder’s name which was found on the pilot’s shirt, Mr Mauduit undertook a long research.

A letter which he had sent to the RAF ex-servicemen and which was published in the Association Newsletter allowed him to have success: an English journalist wrote some weeks later with the address of John Harder which he had found while examining the lists of planes which had been involved in offensive reconnaissance on 10th June 1944 the day when the pilot was shot down.

The contact was therefore established and Mr Harder undertook from his side research to rediscover his rescuers, but the name of Leblanc is so common in France that he had to rapidly abandon his work. Wedding Dress A while later in May 1972 Mr Harder rediscovered his French friends in Evron. On a visit to Mezangers where he crashed, he found a wheel from his plane which had been recovered by a local craftsman and he discovered himself in a wood the carburettor of his Spitfire which had landed there 28 years earlier

A farmer’s wife likewise came to find him to return his parachute – a parachute which had undergone numerous transformations since: it had been cut and made into a wedding dress. The female farmer gave him however the dress and the silk fragments which she had kept. During his stay the American pilot was officially received at Evron Town Hall where he was awarded the Civic Medal of Honour.

This episode was only one adventure in the life of John Harder, who led a rather extraordinary life. In 1964 he was the private pilot for Mrs Johnson, the American President’s wife. Employed by Boeing he delivered a plane to the King of Saudi Arabia and he flew the king with his 60 wives and 60 servants to Switzerland

New York Times 29/7/77
John W Harder
John W Harder, an American who held a permanent commission as a Royal Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War II, died Monday at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. He was 53 years old.

He joined the RAF in 1941 and, after service in heavy bombers engaged in night raids on Germany, transferred to fighters and served as leader of Spitfire Squadron 64. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He returned to this country in 1947 and founded Starflite Inc, a corporate aviation service, at Winchester County Airport. Later he became an instructor at the Boeing Company teaching student pilots to fly its airliners.

Mr Harder, who retired in 1970, for reasons of health, leaves his wife, the former Joan Hopkinson, three sons, Michael, Fred and Lewis; four daughters, Carol, Barbara, Maggie and Amy; his mother Gertrude W Burton; three brothers, Philip, Lewis and Henry, and three sisters, Cynthia, Avery and Jenepher

John Harder - Post War CV

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:43:09 CST

CV dated March 9, 1966	John Worthington Harder
Upper Shad Road, Pound Ridge, New York, 10576 914 Area Code PO-4-4330	Age 41

Employment History
1958-1966 Starflite Inc Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York	President, General Manager and Director of Flight Operations Founded and built Aero Commander distributorship from single aircraft operation to international and domestic corporate contract flight service with seven-figure volume. Unblemished safety record despite crew and maintenance complications attendant upon operation of seventeen different types of equipment.
1956-58 Antill, Wright & Associates, New York	Aviation consultant associated with Management Consulting partnership. Among other client assignments, principally concerned with American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dresser Industrie and EW Bliss Co
1953-1956 Albert Frank-Guenther Law, inc New York	Vice President of advertising agency. Performed conventional account executive duties as well as all copy-writing for Cities Service Company, Van Houten chocolates, Harris, Upham & Co, The Asphalt Institute, City Litte Insurance Co, Royal-McBee Coy and others
1951-1953 Western Newspaper Union, New York	Vice President and Chief Pilot of National Corporation with approximately $21,000,000 net sales. In course of flying executives to branches in thirty states, acquired sufficient knowledge of business to assume responsibility on management level of imported and domestic printing press sales and engineering.
1948-1951 JP Morgan & co Incorporated New York	Responsible for selection and employment of male personnel. Shared responsibility for determination and implementation of personnel policy and administration. Majority of individuals selected and employed during this period are now vice-presidents
1947-1948 Non-scheduled airlines and various fixed-base operators in New York and Florida	Itinerant aircraft captain and flight instructor services
1947 Glore, Forgan & Co New York	Trainee with syndicate Department, minor duties in connection with financial analysis of air carriers and aircraft manufacturers for new underwriting possibilities
1941-1946 Royal Air Force London, England	Fighter, Bomber and instructor pilot as commissioned officer. Decorated by King George VI. Received permanent commission after war with view toward making RAF lifetime career. Qualified as test pilot and highest category of instructor.
1941 - Summer - various aircraft operators.	Employed as pilot and mechanic's assistant at Roosevelt Field, Minesola, Long island, NY
1940 - Summer - MV "Chelsea" Glen Cove, Long Island NY	Assistant maritime engineer on large diesel ocean-going yacht.
1939 - Summer - Seversky Aircraft Corporation. Farminglake, Long Island NY.	Engineering department clerk with additional final assembly. Shift work on Seversky P-35 production
1935-1938 Summer - Hampton Airport.	Line boy and maintenance duties in exchange for flying time.
1935 - 1940 St Mark’s School, Southboro, Massachusetts	Completed first through fifth forms satisfactorily. Left in order to join RAF as direct-commissioned officer and pilot
1933 - 1935 Eaglebrook school, Deerfield, Massachusetts	Undergraduate, left to go to St Mark's school
Other qualifications Airline transport pilot No 73782 - Single & multi engined land, Single & Multi engined Sea Logged & Certified - Lockheed Constellation L-1649A Total flight time 11,021 hours Douglas DC-6, 7, 3, B23, B26, Lockheed L-18, Martin 202 & 404 Lear 23, 34. Boeing 707, 720, 727, 737, Consolidated PBY - 5A (Land) Commercial Flight instructor No CFI73782 Flight instructor aircraft and instruments British Licence No 22731 endorsed "all types of handplanes" Current FAA First Class medical certificate, dated January 3, 1966 FAA Route check, October 6, 1965 Currently proficient: North Atlantic, Transpacific, Western Europe, Middle East, Far East and Domestic USA Completed Factory Pilot's training course Aero Commander Jet 1121 in December 1965 Accident free record on 241 types of aircraft and rotorcraft since 1937
Memberships Institute of the Aeronautical sciences Royal Aeronautical Society RAF Association Society of Air Safety Investigators National Aeronautics Association National Pilots Association National Business Aircraft Association Flight Safety Foundation Aircraft Pioneers and Pilots Association International Order of Character The Book Club Goldfish Club Caterpillar Club Federation Aeronautique Internationale
Personal Details Born in New York City July 28, 1923 Married Joan Lewis Hopkinson December 16, 1949 Three sons, four daughters ages 15 to 3
References Wayne M Hoffman - Executive Vice President - The New York Control System Inspector GH Christensen - Supervisory Inspector - Federal Aviation Authority Air Commodore HA Bird-Wilson, CBE, DSO, DFC, AFC, RAF - Air House, Hong Kong James Anthony Boalt

John Harder's watch

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:37:47 CST

Article from New Zealand newspaper 12th December 1992

Prester John’s Talk of the Times

Topical tale…

Former Dunedin Mayor Sir James Barnes has a timely tale to tell. Fully 50 years ago, when a prisoner of war in a German punishment camp, he agreed to the urgent request of an American prisoner, James Harder, to swap two pieces of chocolate Jim had been keeping from a Red Cross parcel for the American’s watch. Jim promised he’d find the owner and return the watch after the war.

For the rest of the war, and for 30 years after, Jim kept the watch, a pilot’s large chronograph. Then, in 1975, as Mayor of Dunedin, Jim visited the United States as a guest of the US government, taking the watch with him. A high-ranking official in the State Department who organised his trip, James Hancock, offered to try to locate James Harder, but was unable to do so. Not discouraged, Jim left the watch with Mr Hancock.

… for Christmas

Last week, 50 years and more since he traded the watch and 17 years since he last saw it, Jim received a letter from James Hancock – he’d finally tracked down the whereabouts of Mr Harder and returned the watch.

Sadly, Mr Harder had died, but his widow was still living in Washington State and had been thrilled to receive this keepsake of her husband. In turn, Mrs Harder had found a reminder of Jim Barnes – a page in a wartime notebook with an inscription and drawing that Jim had done while the two men were in the Belearia prison camp

What a wonderful and timely Christmas present both for he and him, said Sir Jim (now 84) yesterday.

Prisoner of War

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:25:46 CST

Along with the other Allied Servicemen held for a brief time in the shed, John Harder was eventually moved into a PoW camp within German-held territory; in his case Stalag Luft 3.

He maintained a diary whilst he was held as a PoW which will be posted here (once I've typed it out!) and also the letters that he wrote home from the camp are shown on the letters home page. In addition, during the march from Stalag Luft 3 away from th eadvancing Russian armies he swapped his watch for some chocolate... the full tale of this is told on the John Harder's watch page.

PoW Details - Harder

fozman — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:08:21 CST

Number	First	Last	Rank	Captured	Regiment		Camp	Location	POW No
119026	JW	Harder	Flt Lt	31/07/1944	RAF		Stalag Luft 3	Sagan	7343

On returning to the UK, ex PoWs were expected to complete a "Returning PoW Questionnaire"; copies of the original form are attached below

PoW Questionnaire Part 1
No	119026
Rank	Flight Lieut
Surname	Harder
Christian Names	John	Worthington
Decorations	N/A
2 - Unit	64 Fighter Squadron
3 - Division	Fighter Command
4 - DoB	July 28, 1923
5 - Date of Enlistment	October 12, 1941
6 - Civilian trade or profession	Pilot
7 - Private address	115 Fifth Avenue		New York City	OR
	c/o Chase National Bank	Berkley Square	London	W1
8 - Place & date of original capture	Aunay	France	July 27, 1944
9 - Wounded when captured?	Slightly-sprained back
10 - Main Camps imprisoned	Camp No	Location	From	Till
	Stalagluft III Belaria	Nr Sagan	August 21	Jan 27
	Stalag IIIa Oflag	Luckenwalde	February 4	May 9
11 - Were you in a working camp?	Location	From	Till	Nature of work
No
12 - Illnesses when PoW	Nature	Cause	Duration
No
12b - Adequate medical treatment?
N/a
PoW Questionnaire Part 2
2 - Lectures before capture
2a - How to behave	On many occasions by Squadron and Station Intelligence officers and by an RAF interrogator
2b - Escape & evasion	On many occasions, by successful evaders and by a F/Lt McSwain RAAF on his escape from Sagan
3 - Interrogation	Dulag Luft, August 12-17 1945, in solitary confinement. Interrogated by a Gefreite Schwarz; who was polite and undisturbed by my refusal to answer any questions as he was not an officer
4 - Attempted escapes	Attempted to jump out of Volkswagen near Aunay after capture, but was hit over head by guard with rifle. July 30, 1944 Attempted to jump off train near Chateau Thierry on August 5th, but got jammed in window and halted by guard Worked on tunnel at Stalag Luft 3, but was moved prior to completion
5 - Sabotage	No
6 - Collaboration	No concrete evidence of this
7 - War Crimes
8 - Anything else	On July 24, 1944, after bailing out near Evron, Mayenne, France, I evaded successfully initially; largely through the help of a French peasant family named Le Blanc. They gave me food, civilian clothing and directions on patrols and disposition of Germans in the area. A young Frenchman, Marcel Cholet, a carpenter, of Evron, was also most helpful. On July 26, I was given much valuable information which I hoped to bring back to our forces as well as personal assistance by Father Renaudier of Montreuil near Tinchebray
Signed & dated	May 15th, 1945	John W Harder F/Lt

The Darlington Spitfire

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:48:35 CST

During the Second World War, towns & cities held collections to raise funds to help pay for airplanes which were then named after them. During his career, John harder flew in one which had been funded by the people of Darlington in England. He visitied the town & this was reported in their local newspaper - The Northern Despatch. The local history department of the darlington library kindly provided me with a copy of the relevant page. In the article, John Harder is referred to as "Harding"...

Tuesday 28th December 1943
Darlington Spitfires are still flying

One gave Ace Fighter Pilot many victories

By An Air Correspondent LONDON, Tuesday.
The two Darlington Spitfires, one bought in 1940 by public subscription and the other by Messrs. OR and DD Williams, chairman and managing director of Henry Williams Ltd., permanent way and signal engineers, of Darlington, are still flying in operations against the enemy.

Both planes were given as a tribute to the work of the RAF fighter pilots during the Battle of Britain.

ENEMY MACHINES DESTROYED

Owing to security problems it is not always possible to outline in full the careers of individual aircraft but so far as the two Darlington Spitfires are concerned it can be said that both have given and still are giving valuable contributions to the Allied air effort.

The Darlington Spitfire is at present flying with a fighter squadron which has destroyed 80 enemy aircraft, a few of which have fallen to the guns of the Darlington fighter.

Today it is being flown by an American pilot Flying Officer JW Harding, who hails from New York and is naturally anxious, as soon as possible, to have a look at the own which gave his "kite" its name.

17 DOWN

A few months ago FO Harding was flying the Darlington Spitfire in a fighter formation which ran into a "gaggle" of FW190's over Northern France. At the end of the operation 17 enemy fighters had been destroyed, the American pilot claiming one or at least a good share of one.

At that time, the squadron was stationed in the south of England and was continually engaged on sweeps over enemy-occupied territory, attacking enemy targets and escorting bomber formations.

The squadron, including the Darlington Spitfire, is now spending most of its time shooting up enemy tugs and barges and escorting Beaufighter torpedo bombers in attacks on enemy shipping off the European coastline.

SQUADRON LEADER KINGABY WAS PILOT

Before FO Harding took over the Darlington Spitfire, it was regularly flown by Flight Sergt. D. Kingaby, who is now more familiar as Squadron Leader Kingaby, holding the D.S.O., D.F.M, and two bars. Here is an extract from his report of one operation in the Darlington Spitfire.

While on a Channel sweep I caught sight of four aircraft, which I thought were ME 109s going towards Cap Gris Nez. They were flying just below the clouds, but I was unable to catch them. I was then jumped on by four ME 109s which dived on to me out of the cloud, and I had to pull up into the cloud as an evasive action.

I hung about just below the cloud base at Cap Griz Nez until I saw four ME 109s approaching from inland on my front port Quarter, about half-a-mile away. I pulled up into the cloud and turned left; came out of the cloud again and found the enemy aircraft pitching into a formation of Spitfires. I attacked one ME 109, which showed me its belly. At about 40-50 yards I gave him a second burst with cannon and machine guns and he went down with glycol pouring from both radiators. I then flew inland over France for about ten miles, still keeping just below the cloud base and resorted to the same trick when I saw eight ME 109's coming towards me on my front port quarter.

This time I came above the cloud about 50 yards to the right and 100 yards behind the enemy formation. I chose the last ME 109 and opened fire in the quarter turned to astern. I attacked with cannon and machine-guns, giving a four-seconds burst. The enemy fell away in a dive breaking up into several parts as it did so. The tail parted company with the rest of the fuselage and followed it to earth. I took another squirt at another ME 109 with my machine-guns until I had to beat it into the clouds again owing to the presence of the remaining enemy aircraft.

THE NORTH STAR

The story of the North Star Spitfire, although not so spectacular, is equally important. Its activities for more than two years had been associated with the sea. In October 1941, it was sent to a squadron engaged on coastal patrol and on protecting convoys steaming along our shores. During these operations, “North Star” flew many hundreds of miles over the sea. Its base was so situated that few, if any, enemy aircraft were ever encountered, but it is impossible to calculate how many were deterred from approaching the convoys by its presence, or how many submarines it forced to keep under water until the danger period was passed.

“North Star” is still operating on shipping patrols and similar work. A record of a steady job well done.

For more information about the Darlington Spitfire, there are two excellent resources...

Roger Darlington's website: http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Spitfire.html . John Harder's contributions are recorded in Section 8.
Peter Caygill's book: The Darlington Spitfire - A charmed life. This includes a number of photographs of John Harder together with a brief biography all provided by Tony Cooper

Seattle Times article

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:35:54 CST

On 15th June 1975, the Seattle Time s ran a two page centrefold biography of John Harder.

The initial editorial introduction read... JOHN WORTHINGTON HARDER sounds right as the name of the man portrayed by Irwin Caplan on today's cover.

It is a big, substantial name for a man who has led a big and substantial life.

Caplan's illustration shows Harder when he was in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Behind him is a Spitfire, the historic mainstay of the British air force that Harder flew.

The lower section of the cover shows Harder in his Mercer Island home where he has many memorabilia of his career as "the archetype of a generation of flamboyant risk-necks whose exploits made their trade a legend." That's how Bob Roberts describes Harder in an article, on Pages 8 and 9 that tells of Harrier's many exploits as an aviation adventurer.

To the left is a copy of the front cover drawing...

... the remainder of the article follows...

John Harder aviation adventurer By Bob Roberts
Officially, I have 13 1/3 planes destroyed — and if I'd been a better shot, probably no one I know had more opportunity to become the leading scorer of World War II.

"But I couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a banjo. I was a lousy shot..."

To Capt. John W. Harder, senior pilot instructor, late of The Boeing Co., any mention of combat marksmanship reminds him of his own, and is boundlessly amusing. In fact, to Captain Harder, most everything is amusing, one way or another.

He is the archetype of a generation of flamboyant risk-necks whose exploits made their trade a legend. He has flown nearly everything designed to fly, and some that weren't — 248 different aircraft. The usual experienced pilot has flown no more than 10 to 15.

Harder's laughter begins like the onset of some mortal internal seizure, working its way upward between shoulders simultaneously a-tremble from uncontrollable hilarity. It is explosive laughter, singed by 10,000 cigarettes.

Harder laughs best and most frequently at his own expense; at some joke on himself that he deliberately expands and embellishes. He seems at all times virtually consumed by good humor. And one is helpless not to laugh with him.

A startling shock of red-blond hair tops lively green eyes behind horn-rim glasses, combining a scholarly mien with the alert expression of a woodpecker that has just poked its beak into a light socket.

His speech is at once cultivated and picturesque; a studied mix-of Oxonian pure and Rabelaisian bawdy. He is that rarity in assembled company — an easy, natural raconteur.

His tales about experiences in the Royal Air Force are contrived to present himself as a ludicrous amalgam of Peck's Bad Boy and Laurel and Hardy, who stumbled by dumb chance into the British service, producing a notable handicap the RAF was somehow able to surmount.

"I was an aviation nut and nothing else," Harder says. "I never would misrepresent the facts by saying that I was fighting for democracy. I didn't know what it was. It was a chance to fly bigger, heavier airplanes. And that's all I knew about it. But, of course, I didn't realize until I got to England that they were using real bullets."

HARDER tells things HIS way. But the treasures and mementos in his Mercer Island home tell a different story: a framed fragment of parachute silk bearing the signatures of all the residents of a French hamlet; a shadow box containing a cluster of medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, second only to the Victoria Cross in recognition of heroic conduct; pictures of aircraft that suddenly seem very old, and portraits of veteran faces that look now so very young.
And at the bottom of a dresser drawer, thrown in with socks and underwear, two scraps from an airplane: the throttle linkage to the automatic boost control and the bottom of the control stick where the aileron cross-over was fastened.

These are the mortal remains of Spitfire #MK-750. The rest of the plane Harder flew his last 15 months in combat is fragmented in a French hedgerow. He acquired these souvenirs by a remarkable circumstance I'll get to later.

JOHN WORTHINGTON HARDER grew up in Manhattan, in what he calls "providential proximity to the Jacob Ruppert brewery."

He describes his father fondly as a "would-be tycoon who lacked the touch” – a potential for pecuniary instability that was offset by his mother’s happy fortune to be a daughter of one of the founders of Texaco.

Much of the time during his early years Harder languished in a boarding school, a cloister which – to judge by his grades – was most noteworthy for its adamant resistance to his interest in aviation.

At 13 he played hooky to make his first solo flight.

Harder was still in high school in 1940 when the Royal Air Force set up an American recruiting office in the Waldorf-Astoria under auspices of the Clayton Knight Committee

Bored as usual with school, and eager to grab any job that would let him fly an airplane every day, Harder fudged his age and applied. If the RAF was unimpressed by his appearance, it soon was compelled to surrender to his enthusiasm. Within a few weeks he received his commission. He was 16.

For the remainder of 1940 he was assigned to Allied Ferry Command, flying Hudson bombers from California to England.

He was ordered to the United Kingdom in 1941, serving first in Coastal Command, then in Bomber Command, before finally brazening his way into the famed 64th Fighter Squadron.

A year later, and barely 18, he had risen to squadron commander. At 19, he was the youngest wing commander in the RAF, deferred to respectfully by his subordinates as "Junior."

By 1944 Harder had a confirmed score of 131/2 enemy planes (the accounting system is too involved to get into here), with perhaps twice that number of "probables." Moreover, he had himself been shot down four times, suffered burns and lacerations, and survived an icy ditching in the North Sea.

Before the war ended, he would be shot down again, have his back broken and endure severe punishment for repeated attempts to escape German prisoner-of-war camps.

Like nearly everyone who had first-hand dealings with the Luftwaffe, Harder is generous in praise of the German pilots.

"Man for man, they were superb," he says.

And two of them he calls the best pilots he's ever seen: Adolph Galland, chief of the Luftwaffe Fighter Command, and Eric Hartmann, World War II ace of aces, who shot down more than 300 Allied aircraft.

Both survived the war. Galland is a business executive in West Germany, and among John Harder's closest friends.

Hartmann is a colonel-general of the Luftwaffe.

"It's a good thing for us that jackass Goering was running the Luftwaffe," he says. "If Hitler had had the sense to listen to men like Galland and Hartmann, the whole thing might have been different But 'if is the story of war and of history, isn't it?"

IN 1946, Harder bought up his commission in the RAF, a decision he looks back on with mixed feelings in view of events that followed.

"I could have made the RAF a career," he says. "But like everyone else, I wanted out. I'd had it with war; or thought 1 had. The trouble was, I didn't realize then what a siren I'd been courting."

The siren beckoned two years later from the Middle East, suddenly aflame. Bewitched, Harder signed with the high bidder as a contract pilot (he deplores the term, "mercenary"), and found himself flying against some of his former messmates.

"We were professionals," he says. "It was supposed to be all business and no sentiment; $2,500 a month in gold deposited in a Swiss bank, and no questions asked, no favors, no regrets."

But just here the green eyes lose their mischief, and focus in unspoken reflection upon some moment back yonder. And one senses that at least one of those "all business" encounters ended in tragedy that is felt still.

But the mood is of the instant, and evanescent. It passes. The infectious humor returns to dispel the melancholy.

"Maybe I'd better not say too much about those hitches in the Middle East till we've got all the oil we need."

Harder gives a mirthful account of his decision to give up contract flying to start a new air line.

"I had my own air-freight outfit," he says, and the explosive laugh tells what little there is about the success of that venture.

Prior to joining Boeing in the 1960s, Harder had organized an executive flying service. He was personal pilot to Lady Bird Johnson ("a marvelous person") during her beautification-of-America campaign. He became friend and confidant of the great and near-great: Madame Chiang Kai-shek ("a great lady"); Lyndon B. Johnson ("an 'interesting' man"); Jean Fair-cloth MacArthur, widow of the general ("an absolute delight").

Then, a young 46 and at the peak of his energy with Boeing, he was grounded temporarily by a sudden and severe circulatory attack. There was a long schedule of medication to correct the condition. It failed.

Next, a precarious operation to save his life. That succeeded, but his grounding was final. His license to fly was permanently revoked for reasons of health. He was medically retired from Boeing.

FINANCIALLY secure, Harder turned a lively mind to other interests. He attended Bellevue Community College to earn his high-school diploma. He indulged an old passion for photography, in which he is professionally skilled.

And he travels where the mood takes him. A son is an Army master sergeant in Germany. There are wartime cronies in Britain, Adolph Galland in Germany and former squadron mates, from Sao Paulo to Marrakesh, from Salisbury to Cape Town.

But his warmest interest is an annual pilgrimage that began in 1967 when the Boeing public-affairs office spotted a letter in "Air Mail," the official journal of the RAF Association:

"Sirs:
"On the 10th of June, 1944, when the battle was raging on the ground and in the air all over Western France, a Spitfire of the British RAF was hit by a German anti-aircraft gun above Rennes. The pilot bailed out before the machine crashed in a farm run by the Le Blanc family. They realized the danger the pilot was in if he was found by the Germans. The son of the farmer, age 21, found the pilot before the Germans did. He dressed him with his own jacket and in his own hat . . . Sitting beside his rescuer in a light cart harnessed to a pony, the British pilot passed through the German unit sent into the area to search for him.

"In the farmhouse the pilot was well looked-after and refreshed. His name was John W. Harder ...

"After one night with the farmers in a building surrounded by enemy soldiers, John Harder refused to stay any longer, although the farmers proposed to hide him. He also refused a bicycle which the farmers offered to give him. Fully dressed in civilian clothes and provided with supplies of food, he set out on foot in the direction of Caen, hoping to get across the front.

"Since that day 23 years have passed. The family Le Blanc has waited for news of John Harder, but nothing more was heard of him. They are living as many modest country people do, and know no one who could help them find out if their rescued pilot is still alive, or if he succeeded in his escape . . .

"It would be a great thing for the Le Blancs to know the end of the adventure, and if John Harder is still alive to get in touch with him and eventually to welcome him and to accommodate him again in more peaceful circumstances.

"By chance they have opened in my presence the cabinet in which they kept, in spite of mortal danger in the event of a German house search, the RAF uniform, the compass and the maps printed on fabric. When I saw those objects which are treasured by the family, I promised to try to elucidate the mystery. I should be most grateful for any information which your readers may be able to give us as to the outcome of this brave adventure.

"Yours, Bertrand Mauduit, Haras des Vignes Evron (Mayenne, France)."

John Harder went back that year to the vineyards of Evron to thank the Le Blancs for risking their lives to help him, and to tell them that the first shelter he dived into in his escape attempt was occupied by four alert and very aggressive German soldiers who insisted that he be THEIR guest for the remainder of the war.

At a festive turnout of the entire village of Evron, Harder was given the autographed scrap of his parachute, the bits of his Spitfire exhumed from a hedgerow and a copy of Mauduit's letter to the RAF magazine as souvenirs of that first reunion at the Le Blanc farm. He has returned every year since.
JOHN HARDER and I have talked the day away here in this comfortable home. And just now the scarlet fingers of a dying sun have reached across the lake to touch a group of five or six faces framed on the wall just yonder, coloring them red.

The faces are German faces; forever smiling and young. And one does not need to be told that the faces belong to the company of the 13 ½

But to know John Harder is to know also that the pictures do not hang as trophies.

They are memorials.

Bob Roberts is a Seattle writer and radio commentator.

Return to France

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:17:08 CST

In 1972, a letter was printed in the RAF magazine which attracted John Harder's attention & led to him returning to France to meet up with thge people who had sheltered him on his first night in France...

Story From The Past
SIR, — On June the 10th, 1944, when the battle was raging on the ground and in the air all over west France, a Spitfire of the RAF was hit by a German anti-aircraft machine-gun above Rennes.

It was only when he flew over Laval that the pilot noticed that his plane was lost. He baled out before the machine crashed on the territory of a small village named Mezangers, in a farm named "La Bouverie". The whole region was over-run with enemy troops. A large number of German infantrymen started looking for the pilot.

Close to that spot, a little farm named "Mortry" was run by a farmer and his family. They realised the danger the pilot was in if he was found by the Germans.

The son of the farmer, aged 21, found the pilot before the Germans. He dressed him with his own jacket and his own hat. He thought that the best way to lull the suspicion of the Germans was to take the main road. Sitting beside his rescuer in a light car, harnessed to a pony, the British pilot passed through the German units sent into the area to search for him.

In the farm house, the pilot was well looked after and refreshed, and was ready to attempt his escape.

His name was John W. Harder. He was born in 1923, and was married four days before.

After one night with the farmers, in a building surrounded by enemy soldiers, John Harder refused to stay any longer, although the farmers proposed to hide him. He also refused a bicycle which the farmers offered to give him. Fully dressed in civilian clothes and provided with supplies and food, he set out on foot in the direction of Caen, hoping to get across the front.

TWENTY-THREE YEARS LATER
Since that day twenty-three years have past.

The family Leblanc has awaited for news from John Harder but nothing more was heard of him. They are living as many modest country people do, and know no one who could help them to find out if their rescued pilot is still alive, or if he succeeded in his escape. Possibly, John Harder met with bad luck in the fighting zone; on the other hand, he could have just forgotten the Leblancs' address, and as he did not know any French, he could not find it again in order to give them news as he had promised.

It would be a great thing for the Leblancs to know the end of the adventure, and, if John Harder is still alive, to get in touch with him and eventually to welcome him and accommodate him again in more peaceful circumstances. By chance, they have opened in my presence the cabinet in which they have kept, in spite of the mortal danger in the event of a German house search, the RAF uniform, the compass and the maps printed on fabric. When I saw those objects, which are treasured by the family, I promised to try to elucidate the mystery. I should be most grateful for any information which your readers may be able to give as to the outcome of this brave adventure

Yours, Bertrand Mauduit, Haras Des Vignes,
Evron (Mayenne) France.

Here is a photograph of the reunion meeting...

Letter from Phil Harder

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:39:30 CST

One of the most interesting parts of this research has been the willingness of John Harder's friends & family to share their memories with (to start with) a total stranger. Here is a transcript of a letter I received from Philip Harder, one of John Harder's brothers...

Dear Mr Foster

I appreciated your phone call of last night re my brother John – John W Harder, RAF – who was shot down shortly after D-Day inland from the Normandy Beaches.

I was a Lt (JG), US Coast Guard – Navigating Officer in an LST (Landing Ships Tank) at that time. We were in at H+3, about 8am, on D-Day – at Sword Beach – carrying British troops. We had an easy time of it, compared with Omaha Beach. As I remember it, Sword was closed down subsequently; our later runs were mostly to Gold and Juno Beaches.

It all seems like a long time ago (and is; I’m 85 but relatively spry).

John loved the RAF and England; I share his feelings. My wife, Maggie, lived in London in 1935, ’36, ’37 & ’38 where her father was opening a branch for Banking Trust (now Deutsche Bank). We’ve visited London a number of times and with the help of a cabby found the house she lived in back in the ‘30s.

I’ve made passages there in the original Queen Elizabeth and in QE2 and once one way in Concorde – what a flight, 3hr 14min from New York.

Late in the summer of ’44 I was transferred into LCI(L’s) – Landing Ship, Infantry – berthing often in the River Dart. Lovely country, the fish & chips and Brussels’ Sprouts were superb.

Then we went to the Pacific - Eniewetok and Guam, preparing for the invasion of Japan. I’m one who’s grateful for the Bomb. We thought invasion of the Japanese mainland would take 1 to 3 years and many casualties.

Half of our LCI flotilla went to Okinawa at the heights of the Kamikaze attacks. One was hit, ‘though the main targets were destroyers in the radar screen and carriers (that hit must have been a mistake; an LCI(L) is ???? – 4 Officers, 20 Enlisted men. ‘though when loaded they carried 200 troops)

I was lucky – remaining in Eniewetok, doing odd jobs, fishing, swimming – a little air/sea rescue.

The war ended: I had a pretty high number & soon was on a freighter going home.

As I look back on it – I rather disliked all the Pacific duty. I loved England and the people. In the LCT we were running through the Channel day & night after D Day during the worst of the V-1 attacks. We ???? carried British anti-aircraft artillery 4.7’s, back from the beachheads to see them lined up, limb to limb – back from Dover – doing their best to shoot down the V-1s and 40 millimetres too, everything firing, including our own guns. There was so much flak (shrapnel, I guess from proximity fuses) falling on deck that eventually we put everyone under cover.

Once in a while we’d see a V-1 shot down – but seldom. At that time, we were loading often at King George V docks in London. That area took a beating – as you know.

Then came the V-2s; psychologically I think the V-1s much more depressing; you heard the motor cut out – and then Wham!! You never heard or saw the V-2, so no cringing, waiting for the explosion.

Thanks again for your call; Johnny was a good man.

Sincerely.

Phil Harder

Ps. Just for the record, I had two other brothers, both dead, now: Older brother Lew, US Navy, Torpedo Bomber pilot and Hewy, younger a fighter pilot, US Navy (though the war ended before Hewy saw action). Lew saw a lot, carrier strikes, DC (????), Pacific Theatre.

PS2. I also had some convoy escort duty – Atlantic. Your corvettes were tough ships – well fought. In the early years your ASW (Anti Submarine Warfare) techniques were superior to ours

Biography by Fred Harder

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:36:36 CST

Soon after I had begun this research & made contact with the Harder family, they decided to hold a reunion to remember both John Harder and also his brothers who had also served in the military during WW2. The following is what Fred Harder wrote...

John Worthington Harder (1923 – 1977)

John Harder lead a much too brief but exceptionally full and adventurous life.

He was born on July 27, 1923 the fourth of Trudy’s and Lewis’s children. Like his brothers and sisters he terrorized the locals of Philmont before being sent to the Fay School at a tender age and then on to Saint Mark’s following in the footsteps of his uncles and older brothers. At the age of 14, while on vacation in Palm Beach, he made his first solo airplane flight. Somehow he arranged to have this announced on a local radio station and told his mother to listen to the broadcast. By the time she heard the announcement he was on a train heading back north to school and safely out of her clutches. John was brilliant and possessed a near photographic memory. His command of the ancient Greek he learned as a teenager at St. Mark’s never ceased to amaze. Despite his intelligence he was a disinterested student and his formal education ended in 1940 after his 5th form (11th grade) year when he dropped out to fight the Hun.

John began his wartime career by ferrying military aircraft from North America to Britain. After a few of these trans-Atlantic flights, he decided to stay in England where he joined the Royal Air Force. In the RAF he flew many types of aircraft including heavy and light bombers, fighters, reconnaissance planes, and after the war even jets. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, was possibly the only American to remain in the RAF after the United States entered the war, and made many lifelong friends. His favorite aircraft, of course, was the Spitfire. Despite his claim that he couldn’t hit the broad side of barn from 10 paces, he shot down approximately 11 enemy planes. On the other side of the ledger he himself was shot down 5 times. On the last occasion, a few days after D-Day, his parachute partially malfunctioned and he severely injured his back. After briefly eluding the Germans with the aid of some French farmers, he was captured attempting to reach the allied lines. He was interred in several POW camps until the spring of 1945 when he and his fellow prisoners were liberated by the advancing Russians. After the war he participated in the interrogation of Adolf Galland, the head of the Luftwaffe fighter command, and flew in the Middle East as the British struggled to maintain their Mandate in Palestine.

John returned to the United States in 1946 and held various jobs as he tried to decide on a career. At one point when he was living with his mother and grandmother on 5th avenue in New York, he probably had the most prestigious address ever for a night cashier in a hamburger joint.

John married Joan Hopkinson in 1949 in New York. John and Joan had 7 children – Fred, Michael, Lewis, Carol, Barbara, Margaret, and Amy. Shortly after marrying John and Joan built a house using mostly their own labor on land given to them in East Hampton as a wedding present. Over the years the family lived in Manhattan, Brooklyn, East Hampton, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Collinsville, Ct, and Mercer Island, Wa. In his early business career John worked as a banker and in advertising but his heart wasn’t in it and in about 1955 he returned to first love - aviation. With some financial help from the family he started a small business selling and operating Aero Commanders which he called Commandaire. That company evolved over time to one that operated many types of corporate aircraft and the name became Starflite. The fleet included a DC-7C owned by McCann Erickson and equipped with only 14 seats and gold plated bathroom fixtures. At one point this plane was lent to Lady Bird Johnson for her American beautification campaign. It is hard to forget the Lockheed Super-Constellation owned by Moral Rearmament which used the plane to ferry potential converts to the cult’s indoctrination camps. Starflite also operated the East Hampton airport on Long Island and ran a one route airline between East Hampton and LaGuardia in New York. The one-way fare in 1964 was $18.00. John was always more interested in flying than operating the business and was eventually forced out when new financial backers, who were not as patient as his family, bought the company in 1967. John flew Lear Jets for a couple of years and then went to work for Boeing as an engineering test pilot and instructor. He primarily flew 737’s but was also among the first to fly and crash the 747. In about 1972 John had a heart attack and had to stop flying. In the last years of his life John worked in aviation litigation as an expert witness. John died on July 25, 1977.

The outlines of his life, while dramatic, fail to convey just how extraordinary a person John was. He was arguably one of the most charming individuals one might hope to encounter. A brilliant conversationalist and story-teller, he was incomparably entertaining and many people from all walks of life loved spending time with him. Although he failed to finish high-school, he was a highly educated man capable of holding forth credibly on many subjects. He loved to have fun and while he undoubtedly burned the candle at both ends, he lived a good life and inspired others. Even today he is sorely missed.

Fred Harder

Tony Cooper

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:33:43 CST

Tony Cooper, or to give him his full name & rank, Flight Lieutenant Anthony GH Cooper had an important part to play in John Harder's war.

Cooper was "A" Flight Commander of 64 Squadron with Harder "B" Flight Commander & from the time that they were both members of 64 Squadron formed a friendship that continues to this day, notwithstanding Harder's death in 1977; as was made plain in an email sent to Harder's son, Lewis:

Your father was and still is my best friend - I flatter myself that between us there existed a wonderful and perhaps unusual rapport borne of
great admiration and the warmest affection. Though physically he is no longer with us, as I sit typing out this E-Mail he is all around me - in pictures, words (mostly R.A.F. slang!) in my logbooks and in my heart. Through our love of flying I think we were a kind of private mutual admiration society, (being the only members !).

In fact, had it not been for Tony Cooper's actions in April, 1944, John Harder wouldn't have even made it to the pages of this website!

Following an anti-shipping ("Jim Crow") reconnaisance mission off the Dutch coast, Harder's Spitfire developed an engine problem causing him to bale out into the North Sea. His wartime logbook records things as he saw them...

Engine blew up half way across Norh Sea; Baled out; Cold as Hell. Sticky bit getting dinghy to operate; Spent a frigid 5hr 35 min before being picked up by HSL No 158. What a day!

Tony Cooper's diary records: Junior baled out 70 miles off our coast whilst on Jim Crow - Patrols lost sight of him after 3 hours - we found him again after an hour and directed launch to pick him up - Safe & Sound!

Apparently, Harder's wingman was low on fuel & couldn't stay around any longer so flew back to base. Cooper & their Squadron Leader then flew out to find him & as reported, guided the HSL to his position.

In Tony's logbook is the following note of the day when John Harder was shot down...

Our deepest and longest trip. Very heavy flak at Rennes aerodrome Blake Smiley hit but ok. Shot up 40 covered wagons - heavy return flak - Flt/Lt Harder probably hit - baled out ok

Tony initially joined 64 Squadron when they were based at Ayr whilst they were changing 'planes & reforming. He had been an instructor since 1938 & had been sent to Canada on the outbreak of war to help instruct pilots. However, having had a Fairy Battle (the 'planes they were using - obsolete for active service) be taxied through the 'plane that he was in by an inexperienced pilot, he applied for front line service as the Luftwaffe seemed to be less of a danger to health than new pilots!

They remained in contact (with occasional visits) up to the time of Harder's death. On one occasion, after visiting the French people who had sheltered him after his bale out in Normandy, Harder brought his parachute that had been used (at least in part) to make a wedding dress for Tony to sign as a memento.

A couple of years ago, my son, Richard, & I were privelidged to be able to spend some time with Tony at his home in Lowestoft... here are some of the notes that I made at the time...

Notes from conversations with Tony Cooper
Tony Cooper was “A” Flight commander of 64 Squadron whilst John was “B” Flight commander & considered John to be his “best friend during the war” and this is evident, not only from the way that he talks about John, but also, having visited him in his home in Lowestoft, from the fact that he still has wartime photos of John in his study.

Initially, Tony was posted as a flying instructor due to the number of flying hours that he had “clocked up” prior to the outbreak of war. Initially based in Peterborough, he was then posted to Kingston, Ontario in Canada.

After two years, he persuaded the Authorities to allow him to transfer to fighters (presumably a safer option than teaching some of the trainee pilots!) and was eventually posted to 64 Squadron whilst Mike Donnet was Squadron Leader.

He remembered John celebrating his 21st birthday at Coltishall (however, on the basis that John signed up when he was 16, but perhaps quoted “18” this wouldn’t have been an “official” one – not commenting on Tony’s memory, just that John (like I suspect many others) lied about his age to get “in”)

Tony remembers their operations on D-Day (and in his photo album has some impressive photographs taken from the cockpit of his Spitfire whilst on patrol early on 6th June).

He remembers that John was shot down whilst they were based at RAF Harrowbeer with 611 & 324 Squadrons with W/Cdr Harold Bird-Wilson (a Battle of Britain veteran) as w/co.

Initially, he thought that John had been killed as his ‘plane was seen to blow up, but then wondered whether they would see him a few days later having made it through the lines; unfortunately, he was missing for a long time & they only met up again after the war.

Apparently, John’s parachute didn’t open correctly & he was seen crashing through a poplar tree near to a French farm where he hid for a while then started to make his way back to Allied lines. Unfortunately, he was then picked up by the Germans.

After the war, John told Tony some of what had happened…

The Russians over-ran the POW camp & the inmates went on a forced march. John, obviously, got fed up with this & escaped, making his own way back to American lines.

Tony flew a Spitfire Mk IX SH-B (MK805) marked up as “Peter John III”. John flew SH-L

Operational Record Book

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:29:26 CST

The Operational Record Book (ORB) of 64 Squadron records the day to day activity of the Squadron. There are a number of entries which mention John Harder by name which are set out below. Microfilmed copies of teh ORB are available from the National Archives at Kew.

64 Squadron Operations Record Book

Summary of events relating to John Worthington Harder

Place

Date

Summary of Events

AIR 27/590

Gravesend

3/9/1943

Another lovely morning. At 0840 hours the Squadron took off on Ramrod 29 acting as Escort Cover to 18 Mitchells bombing Abbeville Marshalling Yards. R/V was at Ryre at 0ft at 0857 hours. Tangmere was high cover with two Spitfire XII Squadrons. Everything was a “piece of cake” as no enemy aircraft were seen and not a single burst of flak, and all were back by 1000 hours. At 1300 hours we had a rush Form D on the telephone for three lots of bombers to bomb a ship in Boulogne Harbour at 5 minute intervals and we to escort the leading lot. We took off at 1340 hours and landed 1500 hours. No enemy aircraft, no flak and the bombs missed the ship by 50 yards.

At 1710 hours a third show was put on being Ramrod 31. We were close escort to 36 Marauders bombing Courtrai. After leaving the target and when about to cross out over Nieuport about 10 FW190 were seen to be diving on the bombers from in front and slightly to starboard. Pink and Charlie Sections turned in to attack and dived after them and as a result of the engagement the Commanding Officer got a “Destroyed” and F/O Harder a “Damaged” whilst F/L Plagis also had a good squirt. F/Sgt Butcher got lost in the dive and, owing to a spot of finger trouble, landed at Coltishall. The rest of the Squadron were all back by 1835 hours

West Malling

24/9/1943

Another perfect day. AT 1045 hours the Squadron took off on Ramrod 242 acting as close escort to 2nd lot of 72 Marauders bombing Evreux aerodrome. The bombing was very good and all the N.W. part of the aerodrome and Dispersals were properly pasted.

On the way back, when about 10 miles ESE of Rouen a single ME109G came in behind the Squadron and tried to attack the bombers. F/L Plagis promptly took “Charlie” Section down giving him at least four good bursts and saw him go in on the edge of a big wood. “Charlie” 2, 3 and 4, Sgt Hopkins, F/O Harder and Sgt de Verteuil also had squirts at him. Three more FW190 tried to attack just before leaving the French coast but, on “Pink” Section turning into them, they fled hastily into France. All landed safely here by 1240 hours except F/O Harder who put down at Friston with slight technical trouble.

Coltishall

1/10/1943

Weather dull but flyable. Both flights did a good lot of practice flying doing camera gun and dog fighting. F/O Harder and W/O Smart on orders from “Ops”, carried out a beat up of Lowestoft Harbour. In the afternoon most of the Squadron went out on the Range to get some practice for the Inter-Station Rifle Shooting Competition.

2/10/1943

Perfect day. At 0700 hours 8 aircraft led by the Wing Commander took off for a “Jim Crow” off the Dutch Coast. Several ships were seen but no enemy aircraft and all were back at 0840 hours. At 1400 hours the Squadron led by the Wing Commander (the Commanding Officer being on leave) together with 611 Squadron went down to Manston for Ramrod 256. Our job was to be close escort to 24 Mitchells bombing Calais aerodrome as a diversion to a Fortress show on Emden.

The Mitchells unfortunately made R/V at the wrong Foreland and by the time the mistake was discovered it was too late and we all landed at Manston again and eventually came back here all landing by 1715 hours.

F/O Harder flying the Commanding Officers aircraft “L” had trouble with his undercarriage and eventually, having tried everything possible, had to come in with one leg locked down and the other half down. He made a very good touch down and the aircraft is Category “B”. W/O Smart also put up a fine show as he burst a tyre on take off from Manston and landed here in the dark without damaging his “kite” in the slightest although he swung round twice.

9/10/1943

Very hot, misty and foggy all morning but in the afternoon the Squadron again took part in a Ramrod this time to Wornadrecht. No enemy aircraft were seen as they were all engaged with a really big Fortress and Liberator show over NW Germany involving a 2,000 mile flight. Four pilots unfortunately had to return early with various mechanical troubles i.e. F/O Harder, P/O Bern, F/Sgt Ough and P/O Ledington, and the remainder owing to petrol shortage, put down all over the SE of England according to Operations. Four pilots did Daily Inspections, four did Refuel and Rearm and 6 did Skeet shooting.

26/10/1943

Fog came down good and proper in the night and was very thick in the morning. The pilots and groundcrew had a spirited game of soccer outside dispersal in which miracles of balance were performed in the mud with smooth soles.

At 1345 hours the Commanding Officer took eight of the new pilots up for Formation and Air-Sea firing and the formation was very good indeed.

At 1515 hours the Squadron shot in the inter-Station Rifle Shooting Competition the team being:-

	Max65
F/O Lellerash (Capt)	58
F/L Plagis DFC	56
Lt Muzard	60
P/O Leddington	51
F/O Patterson	60
F/S Swadling	58
F/O Whitelaw	57
F/O Harder	43
Marks for Range Discipline (Max 10)	9
	452

At 1615 hours “A” Flight played “B” Flight at soccer and after a perfectly bloodthirsty game coupled with a lot of badinage the score was 1-1. At 1745 hours F/O Petterson and F/O Harder were scrambled to look for and bring in, a Fortress which was lost – this they did in first class manner and were congratulated by the Controller.

30/10/1943

One item that went really well was the unveiling under a spotlight of the Squadron’s and Echelon’s crest, the one representing the well known “Beetle” and the other a “Sword with wings”. The result of the forthcoming football match between the two was portrayed (amidst howls of derision) with the “Sword” piercing the “Beetle”

1/12/1943

Lovely bright frosty morning. Everyone is shrouded in gloom at the news that we have to post 7 of our most experienced pilots, 4 as instructors and 3 as U/T GCI Controllers – this will leave us terribly short of Section Leaders and pilots with operational experience. The only comfort (if you can call it comfort) is that everyone in Fighter Command seems to be in the same boat.

2/12/1943

Rain and 10/10 cloud in the morning until 1600 hours. No flying.

The following officers had to attend an interview before a Selection Board for Controllers: F/O Harder, F/O Drew, P/O Smart, Sgt de Verteuil – they leave today.

Link trainer and an Aircraft Recognition Test was the order of the day

4/12/1943

We hear that none of the four pilots were selected for the GCI Mob – Great rejoicing

8/12/1943

Weather cleared sufficiently up here for 1 section to do air-air firing and F/L Plagis and F/O Harder to do a beat up of Lowestoft and then give us a pretty display of aerobatics. Squadron still at Manston

16/12/1943

At 1225 hours F/O Harder was scrambled to lead in a Lightning returning from W Germany with only one engine – all OK

21/12/1943

Squadron list shows F/O J.W. Harder (Adjutant) (USA)

AIR 27/591

8/1/1944

F/O Harder did a 2½ hours fuel and oil test with the new 45 gallon tank

Ayr

24/1/1944

Had films of previous day shown of both drogues and cine gun. “A” Flight continued cine gun and “B” air firing. The wind was rather high and flying was suspended for the rest of the day at 1130 hours. F/O Harder had the highest score of 4½%

27/1/1944

Very strong wind. “A” Flight did cine gun and “B” air to air. At 1100 hours wind became very gusty and 20o of the runway. After many tries we got all aircraft down safely but had to push them home to their flights. Flying resumed after lunch. F/O Harder did very well at air firing with 9% having already shot one drogue away with first burst, cannon being used, 50 rounds in each gun.

29/1/1944

Had a wizard number of shoots in “A” Flight and cine gun in “B” Flight. The Commanding Officer, S/Ldr Cassidy, beat F/O Harder’s 9% by .5% making him the dead-eye shot of the Squadron

29/1/1944 – 6/2/1944

AT some point between these dates, John was promoted from Flying Officer (F/O) to Flight Lieutenant (F?L) however, unusually, this is not recorded in the ORB

Coltishall

25/2/1944

Dull, cold and 10/10. A dawn show to cover withdrawal of MTBs was put on and cancelled twice before being eventually abandoned. A really good amount of practice flying was put in in the morning and at 1715-1845 the usual Jim Crow of 8 aircraft to Ijmuiden Texel and the Hook was flown, small convoys at both Den Halder and the Hook being seen. F/L Harder received a very warm reception from the northern convoy who flashed FJ at him

26/2/1944

Weather cold, with snow squalls and bright periods. Eight aircraft took off at 0840 on shipping reconnaissance and two – F/L Harder and P/O Pretty, returned shortly after leaving base with jettison tank trouble.

10/3/1944

Early in the afternoon pilots saw the film “Battle of Russia” at the station cinea. There was further practice in instrument take-offs and eight aircraft were engaged on dusk and night landings. Two “B” Flight aircraft, F/L Harder and P/O Pretty took off at 1825 and landed at 1931 on an escort flight 75 miles out. They saw HSRs returning.

31/3/1944

ORB signed by “J.W. Harder F/LT for Squadron Leader, Commanding 64 Squadron RAF”

5/4/1944

The weather was very poor until about 1600 hours. No flying at all in the morning. F/L Harder did a weather test in the afternoon and the Commanding Officer (S/Ldr JN MacKenzie who had been posted in 3 days earlier) had a look at the countryside
64 Squadron played 611 squadron at football – we won 5-4 (of course)

18/4/1944

Two aircraft from “B” Flight went off on a Jim Crow (F?L Harder and F?O Law). About 50 miles out F?L Harder’s aircraft developed engine trouble and caught fire. He baled out and managed to inflate his dingy in the water having carried out this quite safely and received no injury other than a slight scraping of the knee when th epilot baled out, the hood not having jettisoned properly. At 1100 hours news was received that F?L Harder had been lost sight of. At 1115 hours pilots of 611 Squadron took off to try and locate him but by the time they reached the position he had been found by the Commanding Officer of 64 Squadron and had been picked up by a launch. Most of the Squadron took part in this search, together with pilots of 611 Squadron and a Walrus and Anson from 278 Squadron.

25/4/1944

Very little flying today, due to unfavourable weather.

F/L Harder attached to RAF Milfield for three weeks fighter leaders course.

Deanland

17/5/1944

F/L Harder did an air-test

24/5/1944

Another “two-show” day. Both operations were attacks on airfields in Northern France. The first was on the Evreux-Fauville airfield and for it the Squadron helped provide close escort for 24 Bostons. The bombing seemed to be directed against dispersals rather than runways and as such was fairly successful. Over the target one section became detached owing to the great height at which the Squadron was flying and after a brief stay with a party of Marauders, came out of France in their own time. F/L Harder led the Squadron on the second show. This went off fairly uneventfully, the bombing this time at Lille-Vendeville airfield, being once again accurate on the dispersals but not touching the runways. In between the two shows the Squadron heard a lecture by F/L Durnaford of MI9. The talk was very interesting in the light of the recent happenings in a certain prison camp in Germany (note: possibly refers to mass escape of 76 Allied POWs from Stalag Luft III in March of 1944 (“The Great Escape”), news of which may have just been filtering through). F/L Durnsford discussed the implications of the Gestapo’s action in shooting escaped prisoners of war wearing civilian clothes and, though no definite policy has been laid down up to now, gave the pilots an idea of the line of action which will probably be taken

29/5/1944

Another good day for 64 Squadron. Their first show was a fighter sweep in the Dieppe area. It was a glorious day and they were lucky enough to come across a number of armoured cars and military vehicles in the country around Neufchatel. The following were attacked:

F/L Harder
F/O Law
F/O Brooks
Lt Decroo

1 Armoured Car

1 Staff Car

30/5/1944

Eight aircraft of 64 Squadron led by F/L Harder took part in a two-squadron show during the morning. They took off at 1030 hours to escort 18 Mitchells to bomb a bridge across the Seine at Courcelles Sur Saubre. The trip was uneventful and the pilots were unable to be sure whether the bridge had been hit or not due ot the large clouds of dust which covered the target as soon as the first bombs dropped. In the afternoon the Squadron was released for training. For several hours cine gun attacks were carried out with a Lightning as target. This ended the Squadron’s work for the day as shortly after five o’cock they were released.

Harrowbeer

24/6/1944

In the evening F/L Harder and F/L Gurr did a Jim Crow along the French coast from St Malo to Lezardrieux. They reported 4 MTBs 10 miles west of Guernsey. These were established as friendly

24/7/1944

An eventful day. It began very quietly, the only items of interest earlier on being a Squadron photograph in the morning and a Wing photograph in the afternoon. Both of these ought to turn out well as they were taken in that glorious sunshine which we experience all too little round here.

The evening brought the most interesting show experienced since our arrival at Harrowbeer. It was a 90 gallon tank job and covered a large area, lasting 2 hours 30 minutes in all. 126 Squadron were the luckier of the two Squadrons for they came upon seven ME109’s and shot down two of them. The victors were S/L Plagis, DFC and Bar and F/L Collis. 64 Squadron found an excellent ground target in 40 loaded goods trucks at Voutre. These they attacked and left giving off a great deal of smoke and some flames. Unfortunately during the attack there was some flak and it appears that F/L Harder’s machine was hit for shortly afterwards he baled out in the Arou area, east of Mayenne. It is a relief to know that it is almost certain that he landed safely although , of course, he will be missed a great deal. Still we hope to see him again very shortly.

Date	Aircraft	Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down	Details
AIR 27/591
11/3/1943	Spitfire II	BS227	F/O Harder	Roadsted	0825	0925	Escort to six Whirlibombers to Dunkirk against shipping - nothing seen
12/3/1943	Spitfire IX	BS441	F/O Harder	Rodeo	1605	1715	Rodeo 183. In at Hardelot when ten miles inside Dunkirk attacked 17 FW190s two of which were damaged
13/3/1943	Spitfire II	BS539	F/O Harder	Patrol	0645	0745	Patrol - Maidstone
14/3/1943	Spitfire II	BR140	F/O Harder	Ramrod	1640	1810	Ramrod 44. Escorted Whirlibombers to Abbeville. In at Somme estuary, back via Boulogne. Saw nothing
14/3/1943	Spitfire II	BR140	F/O Harder	Ramrod	1640	1745	Ramrod 46. Escorted Whirlibombers to bomb Abbeville. Weather prevented completion of mission
10/5/1943	Spitfire VB	BL481	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	0615	0645	Convoy Patrol
15/5/1943	Spitfire VB	R 6809	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	0705	0835	Convoy Patrol
1/7/1943	Spitfire VB	BM464	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	1740	1840	Convoy Patrols off Eglinton
10/7/1943	Spitfire VB	BL481	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	2240	2315	Convoy Patrol
26/7/1943	Spitfire VB	BL829	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	1710	1850	Convoy Patrol
30/7/1943	Spitfire VB	AA743	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	1650	1805	Convoy Patrol
14/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL663	F/O Harder	Scramble	1530	1800	Scramble
16/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL809	F/O Harder	Scramble & Search	1535	1630	Scramble & ASR Patrol nearly down to Boulogne
18/8/1943	Spitfire VB	AL809	F/O Harder	Bomber escort	0715	0915	Bomber escort
24/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL809	F/O Harder	Escort for Fortresses	0650	0800	Escort for Fortresses
25/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL829	F/O Harder	Bomber escort	1745	1915	Escort to 34 Marauders to Tricquville
27/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL481	F/O Harder	Escort cover to Poix	0745	0910	Escort cover (Ramrod 6) for 36 Marauders bombing Poix aerodrome at 0822 hours from 24,000ft. All went according to plan.
30/8/1943	Spitfire VB	BL481	F/O Harder	Bomber escort	1825	1935	Ramrod 14 – escort to 18 Venturas going to bomb munitions works in wood north of St Omer
2/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Escort for bombers	1820	1930	Escort for 18 Mitchells to Resdin
4/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL 481	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1710	1835	Ramrod 31 – close escort to 36 Marauders bombing Courtrai – Marshalling yards
5/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	AD186	F/O Harder	Escort cover to bombers	0750	0930	Ramrod 35 – Escort cover to 36 Marauders to Courtrai
6/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Escort for bombers	1710	1845	Ramrod 36 – Escort cover to second box of 72 Marauders bombing Amiens marshalling yards from 12,000 ft going in at Cayeux and out at same place
8/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	0935	1115	Ramrod 41 – Ecort to 18 Mitchells bombing Vitry in Artois from 12,000 ft
8/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Medium cover in Air umbrella	1705	1825	Ramrod 42 – medium cover in umbrella of fighters for bombers going in to bomb gun positions round Boulogne at 5 minute intervals
9/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1415	1545	Ramrod 43 – Escort cover to 18 Venturas to bomb Merville aerodrome
13/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	F/O Harder	Fighter sweep	1745	1910	Rodeo 253 – Fighter sweep with 313 Squadron making R/V at Dungeness at 1755 hours at 14,000 ft going in at Le Touquet, Doulliue, Abbeville and back to Dungeness
21/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	AB143	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	0850	1025	Ramrod 235 – Escort cover to 18 Mitchells going to bomb Lievin Synthetic Petrol plant
23/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	I 4257	F/O Harder	Escort cover to bombers	0735	0905	Ramrod 239 – Escort cover to 18 Mitchells bombing Grand Quevilly (Rouen) from 11,000 ft at 0815 hours
24/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	W3820	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1045	1235	Ramrod 242 – Close escort to 2nd box of 72 Marauders bombing Evreux aerodrome
27/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL734	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1045	1200	Escort to Flying Fortresses off ??? returning from ???
29/9/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	EA972	F/O Harder	Shipping reconnaissance	1045	1230	Shipping patrol off The Hague and from Ijmuiden to ??? nothing seen save 11 fishing vessels
2/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	W3320	F/O Harder	Jim Crow	0700	0840	“Jim Crow” off the Dutch coast
3/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	I 3320	F/O Harder	Close escort to bombers	1035	1215	Close escort to 2nd box of 72 Marauders to bomb Schiphol
6/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	I 3320	F/O Harder	Convoy Patrol	1415	1600	Convoy Patrol
8/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	BL 581	F/O Harder	Sweep	1430	1630	Sweep to Chevras
18/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	X 3320	F/O Harder	Close escort to bombers	0825	1025	Escort to 36 Marauders to Evreux
23/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	X 3320	F/O Harder	Shipping strike	1110	1245	Accompanied 21 Beaufighters on a shipping strike off the Dutch coast at Egmond and Den Helder
24/10/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	X 3320	F/O Harder	Ramrod	1550	1745	Ramrod 284 – Escort to 12 Mitchells to bomb Schiphol aerodrome
3/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	X 3320	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1445	1645	Squadron escorted 72 Marauders to Schiphol. One ME109 probably destroyed by S/L Donnet
5/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB143	F/O Harder	Shipping reconnaissance	0800	1000	Shipping reconnaissance – uneventful
5/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB143	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1310	1500	Escort to 36 Marauders to St Omer
5/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB143	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1550	1720	Escort to bombers to St Omer
10/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB423	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1320	1520	Escort to 72 Marauders to Chievras
11/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD542	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1135	1305	Escort to Bostons to Cherbourg
11/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD542	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1435	1505
23/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	BL303	F/O Harder	Shipping reconnaissance	0800	0940	Shipping reconnaissance off Ijmuiden
23/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB423	F/O Harder	Escort to Beaufighters	1045	1155	Escort to Beaufighters
23/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB423	F/O Harder	Shipping strike	1405	1425	Escort to Beaufighters in attack on convoy. One FW190 destroyed by F/L Plagis, one ME109 destroyed by S/L Cassidy, F/O Kelly & Sgt Thorne
25/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD542	F/O Harder	Shipping reconnaissance	0825	0945	Shipping reconnaissance from The Hook to Ijmuiden and from Texel to Ijmuiden – no shipping seen
29/11/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Jim Crow	0900	1035	Jim Crow from Ijmuiden to Texel and Ijmuiden to The Hook – no shipping seen
13/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1400	1610	Escort Marauders to Schiphol
14/13/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB143	F/O Harder	Air Sea Rescue	0905	1115	Escort to Walrus on an Air-Sea Rescue search to within 20 miles of Dutch coast
20/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1205	1415	Escort to Fortresses 190 miles out to sea, returning from raid
21/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Jim Crow	0955	1115	Jim Crow – nothing seen because of very low cloud
22/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AB143	F/O Harder	Shipping strike	1310	1440	Escort to 18 Beaufighters on a sweep up th eDutch coast as fas as Zandveert
27/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Jim Crow	1005	1135	Jim Crow to Ijmuiden, Holland
31/12/1943	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Sweep	1230	1445	Escort to 36 Marauders on Ramrod 403 to Bernaville
AIR 27/591
4/1/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Shipping Strike	1055	1135	Shipping Strike
6/1/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Shipping reconnaissance	0855	1030	Jim Crow from Ijmuiden to Den Helder
13/1/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Jim Crow	0910	1035	Jim Crow – nothing seen
14/1/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR Spitfire VC LF LR	AD565	F/O Harder	Escort to bombers	1055	1240	Ramrod 453, close escort to 54 Marauders on targets near Frugis. F/L HRG Poulton, DFC missing from this operation
6/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BL374	F/L Harder	Ramrod 72. Escort to bombers	1325	1525	Ramrod 72. Escort to bombers to France
12/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BL374	F/L Harder	Jim Crow	0755	0925	Jim Crow
13/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AL565		Air-Sea rescue	1200	1245	To assist Spitfire in trouble with over heated engine
15/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping recce	1425	1550	“Jim Crow” off Den Helder and Texel
18/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping recce	0755	0805	“Jim Crow” returned within 10 minutes due to bad visibility
20/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	1030	1205	“Jim Crow” near Den Helder
21/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	0750	0935	Shipping strike with 16 Beaufighters south of Den Helder
21/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Air-Sea rescue	1550	1745	Air-Sea rescue search
22/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	0920	1000	“Jim Crow” nothing seen
24/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	0745	0910	“Jim Crow” from Ijmuiden to Hook and Ijmuiden to Den Helder
24/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	1700	1825	“Jim Crow” to Texel, Ijmuiden and Hook
28/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	0840	0850	“Jim Crow” off Schevuningen
28/2/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping strike	1400	1545	Escort to 24 Beaufighters from North Coate. Landfall made at Den Helder, thence north to Terschelling
1/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping strike	1120	1300	Shipping strike off the Dutch coast at Egmond. Vessel of 6,000 tons seen and attacked
9/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	1050	1115	Shipping reconnaissance
10/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Air-Sea Rescue	1820	1930	Escort flight 75 miles out
25/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Jim Crow	1025	1150	Jim Crow odd Den Helder
26/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Ramrod	1240	1415	Escort to 30 Mitchells to Ijmuiden
29/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Scramble	0920	1050	Scramble for uneventful shipping reconnaissance
31/3/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BL374		Shipping strike	1625	1845
1/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BM414		Shipping recce	1840	2010	Shipping reconnaissance FROM Ijmuiden to the Hook
4/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Search	0700	0845	Search over North Sea
10/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BM414		Jim Crow	0845	0920	Jim Crow
13/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping strike	1450	1645	Escort to 12 Beaufighters on shipping strike up the Dutch coast
15/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BM414		Air-Sea Rescue	1545	1720	Air-Sea Rescue
18/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565		Shipping recce	0625	0800	F/L Harder’s aircraft caught fire and pilot had to bale out
18/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	P2585 BM414	P/O Pretty F/O O’Neil	Air-Sea Rescue	0700	0915	Search for F/L Harder
18/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	X4257 BL370	S/L Mackenzie F/L Cooper	Air-Sea Rescue	1025	1155	Search for F/L Harder
20/4/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	W3656		Escort	1330	1535	Escort to Hudson
16/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Patrol	1815	1840	Patrol off St Catherine’s Point
18/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Patrol	2100	2200	Patrol 10 miles north and south of Beachy Head
19/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Sweep	1930	2130	Sweep in the Beaumont Le Havre area
20/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Jim Crow	2100	2225	Jim Crow from Le Havre to Pointe de Barfleur
21/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Train attacks	0715	0915	Train busting operations in Westhoof-Dunkirk area
23/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Bomber escort	1615	1815	Escort to Mitchells to Northern France
24/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Bomber escort	1015	1150	Escort to 24 Bostons to Evreux-Fauville airfield
24/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Bomber escort	1830	2025	Escort to bombers to Lille-Vendeville airfield
27/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Bomber escort	1110	1130	Escort to bombers to Evreux airfield
27/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Bomber escort	1820	1940	Escort to bombers to Longues and fighter sweep to Mesnil Auxoul, Bayeux, La Ferriere
28/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BL374		Bomber escort	1205	1335	Escort to Bostons to target 10 miles NW of Ypres
29/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter sweep	0925	1125	Fighter sweep in Dieppe area
29/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Bomber escort	1500	1715	Escort to 18 Mitchells to Charleroi
30/5/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Bomber escort	1035	1225	Escort to 18 Mitchells to Courcelles Sur Saubre
1/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Convoy patrol	1055	1215	Convoy patrol
6/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0430	0710	Fighter cover for Invasion of France
6/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0925	1155	Fighter cover for Invasion of France
6/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	2200	0010	Fighter cover for Invasion of France
7/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AB972		Fighter cover	0430	0700	Fighter cover over the beaches
7/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AB972		Fighter cover	0935	1200	Fighter cover over the beaches
7/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	2205	0010	Fighter cover over the beaches
8/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Beachhead patrol	0925	1150	Beachhead patrol
10/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0355	0555	Fighter cover for beachheads
10/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0935	1200	Patrolling “Omaha”
10/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1800	2015	Fighter cover
11/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1540	1755	Fighter cover
12/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0440	0650	Fighter cover to invasion forces
13/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0440	0655	Patrol over eastern
13/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	2215	0005	Fighter cover for invasion forces
14/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1435	1655	Fighter cover over assault area
15/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1440	1700	Fighter cover over assault area
16/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1400	1620	Fighter patrol over assault area. F/S Duncan’s aircraft brought down by enemy anti-aircraft fire
16/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1820	2040	Fighter patrol over assault area.
17/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0420	0625	Patrol over assault area.
17/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	1225	1455	Patrol over assault area.
18/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972		Patrol	1350	1610	Patrol of central sector of the Assault Area and of “Yoke” shipping
18/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Escort to bombers	1805	2015	Escort to 24 Bostons to Foret des Bourses
19/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BM414		Fighter cover	0410	0630	Patrol of central sector of the Assault Area
20/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Fighter cover	0420	0600	Patrol of eastern Assault Area
20/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	X4257		Patrol	1255	1510	Patrol of Assault Area
22/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Shipping patrol	0450	0700	Shipping patrol
24/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Jim Crow	2030	2210	Jim Crow along French coast from St Malo to Lezardrieux
27/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Ramrod	1250	1440	Escort to Typhoons to Pontivy
30/6/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601		Rhubarb	1530	1600	Rhubarb
6/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK532		Rhubarb	1230	1430	Rhubarb in the Brest Peninsula
6/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK532		Escort to Typhoons	1650	1840	Escort to Typhoons of 263 Squadron to the Bois de Malavnay
8/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK532		Rhubarb	0855	1045	Rhubarb in Brest Peninsula. Trucks attacked near Plelau
8/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK188		Sweep	1900	1915	Fighter sweep in Broons area
12/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK532		Escort to bombers	1950	2150	Escort to Lancasters
19/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK258		Sweep	1455	1710	Sweep near Carhaux and Rohan
22/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK258		Weather reconnaissance	1400	1600	Weather reconnaissance, off French coast
23/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK258		Sweep	0800	0930	Sweep. Intended to go to Nantes but forced to return to bad weather
24/7/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK258		Sweep	1755	Missing	Sweep. Trucks strafed at Voutre, F/L Harder baled out east of Mayonne

Spitfires flown

fozman — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:25:08 CST

This table records the various Spitfires flown by John Harder. The details are taken from his logbook & have been crossmatched to a full list of Spitfire production to allow the history of the individual 'plane to be shown. His logbook records only two occasions when Harder was involved in an "incident" involving a Spitfire; the first was on 18/4/44 (AD565) when he ended up in a dinghy for 51/2 hours in the North Sea the second when he was shot down over Normandy on 24/6/44 (MK258). However, family history & anecdotalevidence suggests that there were more and there is a sketch in Harder's artifacts which depicts a third incident in December 1942. Unfortunately, his logbook for this period is not available - 'though it is being looked for! This sketch is shown below the list. The Serial number shown - SM303 - met it's end in 1944: 8MU 1-11-44 416S Patrol Malmedy shot down by P-47 nr Houffalize 25-12-44 F/O A G Borland killed

Date	Make	Number	Times Flown	c/n	Fac	Engine	History

11/03/1943	Spitfire II	BS227	1	3462	EA	M61	FF 2-10-42 64S 9-10-42 AST 31-3-43 ? mods 453S 27-3-43 129S 'DV-U' 17-7-43 332S 28-8-43 165S 'SK-D' 29-9-43 274S 'JJ-Q' 15-5-44 to 5322M 4-7-45 SOC rtp 24-1-46
12/03/1943	Spitfire IX	BS441	1	3363	EA	M61	FF 9-9-42 64S 10-9-42 AST 17-3-43 mods 453S 'FU-T' 2-4-43 129S 'DV-T' 17-7-43 disintegrated in high speed dive Jacobs Farm Maldon Essex 9-8-43 FH315.45
13/03/1943	Spitfire II	BS539	1	3596	R-R	M61	FF 6-11-42 R-RH Cv IX M61 64S 15-11-42 453S 2-4-43 AST 5-4-43 mods 129S collision with MA598 on takeoff Hornchurch CB 15-7-43 AST 411ARF 8-1-44 501S CB ops 29-2-44 VAO 58OTU 12-4-45 Armee de l'Air 12-9-46
14/03/1943	Spitfire II	BR140	2	2788	HPA	M46	FF 10-4-42 R-RH 12-4-42 Cv IX M61 12MU 19-6-42 64S 24-6-42 AFDU Duxford 3-8-42 AST 7-3-43 mods 453S 'FU-J' 2-4-43 129S 'DV-J' 17-7-43 AST 7-8-43 303S 22-9-44 CAC ops 28-12-44 ros 441S 3-5-45 80OTU 6-9-45 Armee de l'Air 14-3-46
15/05/1943	Spitfire VB	R6809	1	813	EA	MIII	FF 26-6-40 (CG) 6MU 28-6-40 cannon wing fitt 19S 5-7-40 222S 20-9-40 R-RH 11-1-41 Cv Vb M45M AFDU Duxford 22-2-41 91S 'DL-G' 10-4-41 302S 17-11-41 CE ops 21-4-42 ASTE PPSM 11-10-42 fuel syst mods 222S 26-2-43 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 350S 13-4-44 CGS 3-10-44 SOC 4-9-45
01/07/1943	Spitfire VB	BM464	1	0	CBAF	M45M	LFLRVb 37MU 12-4-42 485S 28-4-42 CAC ops 14-6-42 ros collision with BM522 after landing Wansford CB 30-7-42 AST 222S 15-1-43 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 132S 18-2-44 504S 15-3-44 61OTU 13-8-44 FACB 19-9-44 recat E 13-10-44
30/07/1943	Spitfire VB	AA743	1	2121	CHA	M45	FF 23-9-41 39MU 26-9-41 234S 3-10-41 ASTH 29-10-41 M46 install 340S 1-3-42 FAAC 23-6-42 ros 234S 31-7-42 AST 8-12-42 64S 9-6-43 118S 9-10-43 VASM 7-11-43 fuel syst mods 501S Hit fence and crashed on takeoff Hawkinge CE 2-4-44
14/08/1943	Spitfire VB	BL663	1	0	CBAF	M45	9MU 18-1-42 611S 19-2-42 242S 2-6-42 222S 11-8-42 FAAC 18-11-42 ros 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 67GrpUSAAF 6-1-44 Scottish Aviation 15-6-44 57OTU 17-7-44 61OTU 12-4-45 SOC major repair 29-5-45
18/08/1943	Spitfire VB	AL809	1	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A
24/08/1943	Spitfire VB	BL809	2	0	CBAF	M45	45MU 2-4-42 81S 30-4-42 64S 3-5-43 118S 25-9-43 VASM 5-11-43 fuel syst mods M46 install 17FTS 7-10-44 Stalled on landing and u/c collapsed Cranwell FACB 2-5-45 recat E SOC 17-5-45
25/08/1943	Spitfire VB	BL829	2	0	CBAF	M45	6MU 24-2-42 401S 'YO-C' 7-5-42 222S 26-9-42 FAAC 18-2-43 ros 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 129S 3-2-44 276S 9-10-44 CA ops 14-3-45
04/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	1	0	CBAF	M45	37MU 15-3-42 616S 28-3-42 316S 22-5-42 FAAC 4-6-42 ros 317S 4-7-42 315S 4-9-42 222S 1-12-42 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 USAAF 6-1-44 SOC E 27-11-46
05/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	AD186	1	0	CBAF	M45	9MU 8-9-41 609S 20-9-41 HAL 2-11-41 402S 29-4-42 421S 8-5-42 AST 18-7-42 421S 13-11-42 402S 3-2-43 416S 23-3-43 421S 20-5-43 VASM 22-12-43 fuel syst mods Armee de l'Air 22-4-45
13/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL481	10	0	CBAF	M45	37MU 15-3-42 616S 28-3-42 316S 22-5-42 FAAC 4-6-42 ros 317S 4-7-42 315S 4-9-42 222S 1-12-42 64S 31-3-43 118S 25-9-43 USAAF 6-1-44 SOC E 27-11-46
23/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	I4257	1	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A
24/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	W3820	1	2006	EA	M45	FF 26-8-41 9MU 27-8-41 308S 9-9-41 316S 13-12-41 Ditched 15m N of Fecamp returning from ground attack mission CE 20-2-42 Sgt W Kopa killed
27/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	BL734	1	0	CBAF	M45	12MU 11-2-42 416S 7-3-42 602S 15-7-42 FACB 20-7-42 Scottish Aviation 91S 16-2-43 CAC ops 15-3-43 Westland 118S 10-9-43 64S 25-9-43 17FTS 9-5-45 SOC 19-3-46
29/09/1943	Spitfire VB & VC	EA972	1	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A
02/10/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	W3320	7	1756	EA	M45	FF 11-6-41 9MU 12-6-41 92S 12-7-41 ASTH 11-11-41 54S 1-3-42 FACB 19-4-42 ros VASM 14-3-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 8-7-43 64S 'SH-L' 25-9-43 611S 10-7-44 234S 5-10-44 Hit by MA228 while parked North Weald FACB 28-10-44 63S 4-11-44
08/10/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	BL581	1	0	CBAF	M45	8MU 3-1-42 313S 17-1-42 ASTH 30-3-42 152S 26-4-42 VASM 27-3-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 25-8-43 Damaged by fighters on shipping recce and abandoned 11-4-44
23/11/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	AB423	3	2470	0	M45	FF 7-1-42 (W camera) Henley 6MU 9-1-42 Benson 13-9-42 543S 7-11-42 SOC 5-12-43
23/11/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	BL303	1	0	CBAF	M45M	33MU 16-2-42 316S 14-4-42 damaged ops 3-5-42 GAL VASM 26-1-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 14-4-43 CAC ops 24-5-43 ros 64S 25-9-43 flaps fail wheels up landing somersaulted Coltishall CE 23-3-44 FH503.45
25/11/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	AD542	3	0	CBAF	M45	6MU 28-10-41 308S 2-11-41 AST 14-12-41 310S 7-6-42 FAA 10-6-42 412S 29-7-42 FACB 26-8-42 AST VASM 8-3-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 10-9-43 64S 15-9-43 FAAC 7-5-44 AST Westland 31-10-44 SOC 22-5-45
22/12/1943	Spitfire VB/C LF LR	AB143	6	2317	HPA	M45	LRVb FF 20-11-41 39MU 25-11-41 123S 10-1-42 167S 10-4-42 165S 27-5-42 FACB 4-6-42 Scottish Aviation VASM 14-5-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 29-6-43 64S 25-9-43 Missing from low level attack nr Hennebont 26-7-44
13/02/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AL565	1	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A	#N/A
18/04/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AD565	29	0	CBAF	M45	9MU 1-12-41 74S 24-12-41 232S 8-4-42 collision with BL290 in practise landing Llanbedr 2-6-42 AST VASM 24-9-42 fuel syst mods wing stiff AST 9-1-43 312S 17-5-43 AST 20-6-43 64S 26-10-43 Caught fire on shipping recce abandoned over North Sea off Yarmouth 18-4-44
20/04/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	W3656	1	1934	EA	M45	FF 7-8-41 8MU 10-8-41 92S 16-8-41 AST 23-8-41 122S 22-11-41 FAAC 28-2-42 ros 167S 12-4-42 FACB 14-8-42 Westland VASM 9-3-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 27-5-43 64S 25-9-43 CA ops 12-6-44 ASTH 1668CU 29-11-44 to 5842M 12SoTT 6-3-46
28/05/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BL374	4	0	CBAF	M45M	LFVb 24MU 1-12-41 504S 8-1-42 FACB 8-3-42 Shorts Harland VASM 27-3-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 10-9-43 64S 25-9-43 1688Flt 12-10-44 Reid Sigrist refurb to Portugal 24-6-47
07/06/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AB972	2	0	CBAF	M45	9MU 10-9-41 452S 20-9-41 R-RH 8-11-41 mods 452S 9-11-41 485S 26-3-42 118S 11-5-42 131S 14-6-42 FAAC 6-10-42 ros 165S 'SK-H' 31-12-42 122S 15-7-43 Shot down by fighters over Ostend 25-7-43 FH378.50
18/06/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	AA972	7	2265	EA	M45	FF 4-11-41 39MU 6-11-41 122S 22-11-41 FACE 15-3-42 ASTH 130S 27-8-42 VASM 21-5-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 2-7-43 64S 25-9-43 611S 10-7-44 53OTU 6-8-44 FACE 30-8-44
19/06/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	BM414	4	0	CBAF	M45	39MU 26-4-42 421S 2-6-42 FAAC 28-3-43 ros 418S 27-7-43 118S 7-8-43 64S 25-9-43 276S 9-10-43 Engine caught fire dived into sea 8m off Dunkerque 5-4-45
20/06/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	X4257	1	1037	EA	MIII	FF 16-8-40 6MU 20-8-40 first Spit with 'B' wing Type 340 AMDP EA 30-8-40 RAE 3-9-40 AAEE 20-10-40 1CRU new eng 8MU 15-11-40 AFDU Duxford 11-1-41 R-RH 10-2-41 M45 fitt redesignate FVB 92S 16-2-41 service trials engine failed crashed Maidstone 19-3-41 AST 411S 8-11-41 AAEE 1-42 R/T function trials at high alt with R7120 (FVI) 242S 25-9-42 VASM 5-4-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 118S 2-7-43 64S 25-9-43 power loss force-landed hit obst nr Lodiswell S Devon CE SOC 3-7-44 F/O W Smart killed
30/06/1944	Spitfire VB LF LR	EP601	32	0	CBAF	M46	39MU 26-7-42 19S 16-8-42 402S 22-4-43 FAAC 10-9-43 64S 27-4-44 276S 2-11-44 M45M install SOC 29-11-45
08/07/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK188	1	0	CBAF	M66	39MU 2-2-44 313S 15-2-44 GAL 12-12-44 mods RNethAF 14-8-48 as H-23 written off 25-3-53
12/07/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK532	4	0	CBAF	M66	33MU 5-3-44 313S CAC ops 21-5-44 Scottish Aviation 20-11-44 MedAAF 16-5-45 RHAF 27-2-47
24/07/1944	Spitfire IX LF	MK258	4	0	CBAF	M66	6MU 2-2-44 504S 25-2-44 64S Rhubarb ground targets at Voutre Damaged by flak and abandoned E of Mayenne 24-7-44