Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War Immediate D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant A. G. Harris, No. 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force, a participant on the Peenemunde Raid in August 1943

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1381862 F/Sgt., R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France & Germany; Defence & War Medals, together with the recipient’s Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book for the period July 1942 to April 1945, with further post-war entries, and an Air Gunner’s cloth wing, good very fine (5) £900-1200

D.F.M. London Gazette 2 November 1943: ‘Flight Sergeant Arthur Gordon Harris, R.A.F.V.R., No. 102 Squadron. Sergeant Harris is a highly efficient wireless operator whose determination and devotion to duty has set an excellent example. He has taken part in many sorties and on several occasions his ability to repair essential equipment during flight has proved his skill. On a recent occasion, whilst attacking Munchen Gladbach, his aircraft was hit by gunfire from a fighter. A fire started amongst the ammunition boxes. Sergeant Harris acting promptly, was able to extinguish it and afterwards rendered first aid to a wounded comrade. His coolness was most praisworthy.’

Arthur Gordon Harris was a native of Newcastle on Tyne and joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, qualifying as a Wireless Operator at No. 2 Signals School, Yatesbury. In July 1942 he was accepted for Air Crew training and completed wireless and air gunnery courses in Blenheims, Whitleys and Halifax bombers. In April 1943 he was posted to No. 102 Squadron at Pocklington to begin his first operational tour. During April he flew on missions to Mannheim, Stettin and Duisberg, and carried out one mine-laying operation. In May he flew missions to Duisburg, Bochum, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Essen, and Wupperthal, during the battle of the Ruhr. In June he completed three missions, to Dusseldorf, Bochum, and Le Creusot, and in July to Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Aachen, Montbeliard, and twice to Essen.

On the 2nd August he flew on operations against Hamburg as part of Operation Gomorrah, and on the 9th and 10th he flew missions to Mannheim and Nuremburg. On 17 August he took part in Operation Hydra, the attack on the Rocket Research Centre at Peenemunde. Nearly 600 bombers were despatched, of which 40 failed to return and 32 were damaged but several buildings, in which experiments were taking place, were destroyed and 700 workers, including Professor Thiel, a propulsion expert, and Herr Walther, the Chief Engineer, were killed. After further sorties against Leverkusen, Berlin, and Nurnberg, he flew to Munchen Gladbach on 30th August. During the flight his Halifax bomber was attacked by an enemy fighter which caused a fire amongst the ammunition boxes aboard the aircraft. In putting out this fire and attending to a wounded comrade, Harris won the D.F.M., a fitting end to his first tour of operations.

In October 1943, Harris was posted to 1658 Conversion Unit as a Screened Wireless Operator, returning to 102 Squadron in July 1944 to start his second tour. His targets included missions against Foret de Nieppe and Wamur Cappel, in support of the Allied Forces and the destruction of V-1 Rocket sites. In December he flew missions to Mulheim and St Vith, in support of the army during the battle of the Bulge. Harris flew his 41st and final mission of the war against Nuremburg on the 11th April 1945.