Weekly Meeting - Bomber Harris (Peter Donovan)

Peter's interest in aviation started in c.1947, when his Gran took him to Northolt Aerodrome.  At this time, Northolt handled European traffic. Transatlantic and other international air traffic used London Airport.  Heathrow, as now known, was not the correct name, although too many latter day historians and writers seem to think it is alright to use it.  Heathrow was the village destroyed for the building of the aerodrome, under a screen of political dishonesty, where it was stated that an airfield was needed for RAF Transport Command, when as early as 1943, the intention was a new civil aerodrome for London to replace Croydon.  London Airport was also built on some of the finest agricultural land in the South of England.

Peter's interest in Bomber Command came quite late in life, and whenever, for example Dresden came into the news, he was interested in the venom directed at both Bomber Command and Harris.  He started reading specifically on Bomber Command and on Harris.  He has his 'Dispatch on War Operations', which he actually found heavy going, so have never tackled it in depth. 

He also had the privilege of meeting and/or talking with wartime Bomber Command aircrew.  Without exception, none had a bad word for Harris.  Three books in particular are worth reading for a background on both Bomber Command and Harris. They are:    Bomber Offensive, by Sir Arthur Harris;  Bomber Harris by Henry Probert; Dresden by Frederick Taylor.

Reference Dresden, many of the critics seem unaware or prefer to ignore the fact that the USAAF bombed Dresden the day before the RAF bombed, and then bombed again the following day.

As often happens in times of dire emergency, the right person is required and Harris was the right man at the right time.  Virtually all members of Bomber Command never saw their leader.  He was so busy that he very rarely was able to visit the airfields and meet aircrew.  This was something he missed.  At the end of the war he made a visit to  Middleton St. George, then part of 6 Group.  A feature rarely mentioned is that the costs of 6 Group were met by the Canadian Government.  As Harris was leaving, the meeting with members of 6 Group, they all started to applaud him as he was leaving. He turned round, came back in, looked as if he as about to speak. He saluted, turned and left.  

Harris had few airs and graces.  He was quite content to polish his own shoes.  A Lechlade Probus member told me how, after the war, Harris was invited to attend a function in Sweden.  He took with him two other ranks.  As they were entering the building, a move was made to separate them, Harris being told they would be looked after.  Harris informed his hosts that if the men were not allowed into the same room, he would not stay.

Roger Atkinson