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Howard Harker

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Coordinates: 53°25′45″N 2°15′32″W / 53.42917°N 2.25889°W / 53.42917; -2.25889
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Howard Redmayne Harker
Major Harker c.1918
Born(1891-05-12)12 May 1891
Prestwich, Lancashire, England
Died27 February 1919(1919-02-27) (aged 27)
Tidworth Barracks Hospital, Hampshire, England
Buried
Southern Cemetery, Manchester, Lancashire
53°25′45″N 2°15′32″W / 53.42917°N 2.25889°W / 53.42917; -2.25889
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1916–1919
RankMajor
UnitNo. 5 Reserve Squadron
No. 57 Squadron RFC
No. 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping
Battles / wars
AwardsMilitary Cross

Major Howard Redmayne Harker MC (12 May 1891 – 27 February 1919) was a British World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.[1]

Early life and education

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Howard Harker was born in Prestwich, Lancashire, the son of the architect John Dent Harker (1860–1933). He attended the Lawrence House School in St. Annes-on-Sea, and the Rossall School in Fleetwood, before graduating from Manchester University.[2][3]

Flying career

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From 1913, Harker was employed at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough, Hampshire.[1] In February 1915 he made a memorable arrival at Hendon Aerodrome in a new B.E.2c biplane flown by Frank Goodden, who treated the assembled crowd to an impromptu display of aerial acrobatics before landing.[4]

Harker was commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on 15 April 1916.[5] He was posted to No. 5 Reserve Squadron from 2 May[6] until the day after receiving the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 2945, following his flight in a Maurice Farman biplane at the Military Flying School at Birmingham on 18 May.[1] He was appointed a flying officer on 22 June, and confirmed in his rank on 11 July.[7]

Harker was posted No. 57 Squadron, primarily a bomber and reconnaissance unit, in France. He gained his first victory, while flying a F.E.2d on 24 March 1917, by driving down 'out of control' an Albatros D.II east of Lens.[1] He was appointed a flight commander with the rank of acting-captain on 6 April.[8] In May his squadron was re-equipped with the DH.4, in which on 18 June he destroyed an Albatros D.III south of Houthulst.[1] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 1 July 1917.[9] His remaining three victories were against Albatros D.Vs; on 17 July over Roulers, on 28 July over Ingelmunster, and on 21 August over Ledeghem–Menin.[1]

The grave of Major Harker in Southern Cemetery, Manchester

On 26 September 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross,[10] which was gazetted on 8 January 1918. His citation read:

Second Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Howard Redmayne Harker, Royal Flying Corps (Special Reserve)
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. For nearly, a year he has carried out extremely valuable work in taking aeroplane photographs and leading bombing raids far behind the enemy lines, often in the face of great opposition and trying weather conditions. On a recent occasion while returning from a successful bombing raid his formation was attacked by more than twice its number, but by his fine offensive spirit and skilful leadership, the enemy were dispersed. He has consistently set a splendid example to his brother officers."[11]

Harker was appointed an acting-major on 1 October 1918.[12] His final posting was to the No. 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping at RAF Andover, Wiltshire.

Death

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Harker died from pneumonia on 27 February 1919 at the Officers' Military Hospital at Tidworth,[13] and is buried in the Southern Cemetery, Manchester.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Howard Redmayne Harker". The Aerodrome. 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Howard Redmayne Harker (1891–1919)". Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire. 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "First World War Roll of Honour" (PDF). University of Manchester. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Eddies". Flight. VII (319): 97. 5 February 1915. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  5. ^ "No. 29552". The London Gazette. 18 April 1916. pp. 4026–4027.
  6. ^ Berry, Graham (2015). "RFC and RAF men in Warwickshire". Midland Aircraft Recovery Group. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  7. ^ "No. 29660". The London Gazette. 11 July 1916. pp. 6856–6857.
  8. ^ "No. 30027". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 April 1917. p. 3736.
  9. ^ "No. 30249". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1917. p. 8778.
  10. ^ "No. 13146". The Edinburgh Gazette. 27 September 1917. p. 2055.
  11. ^ "No. 30466". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1918. p. 612.
  12. ^ "No. 31206". The London Gazette. 28 February 1919. p. 2860.
  13. ^ "Personals: Casualties". Flight. XI (532): 319. 6 March 1919. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Casualty Details: Harker, Howard Redmayne". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Harker, Howard Redmayne". The War Graves Photographic Project. 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
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