Flight Lieutenant Harry Hughes DFC DFM AE* (deceased)

After joining the RAF in March 1941, Harry Hughes trained as a Navigator. On completion of training he was posted to join 102 (Ceylon) Squadron at RAF Pocklington flying Halifaxes. Instead of flying on a mining operation, the traditional first operation for a new crew, Hughes and his colleagues joined 442 other bombers to attack the Krupp factory at Essen. Over the next seven months, Hughes and his colleagues took their Halifax bomber to 25 other heavily defended targets. In addition to attacks against targets in the Ruhr, Hughes visited Nuremberg, Munich and the Skoda armaments factory in Pilsen, a sortie of 10 hours. On a raid to Mülheim, Hughes’s Halifax returned on two engines. Over Stettin on April 20, his Halifax was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the controls were damaged, but the aircraft was recovered safely to Pocklington. Harry completed his first tour with 102 Sqn. For his second tour Harry was posted to join 692 Squadron at Graveley, as Navigator (B). Equipped with Mosquito light bombers, 692 Squadron was part of the Light Night Striking Force of N0.8 (PFF) Group, Bomber Command; famous for its fast striking raids on Berlin using 4000lb cookie bombs. On July 24th the next operation was on Hamburg . Using “window” for the first time (metal foil strips to confuse the enemy radar system), the raid caused extensive damage. Over the next 10 days, Hughes flew on two more attacks on Hamburg. On What became known as the Battle of Berlin opened on August 23. This was to be the first of many sorties Hughes would make to the Big City. After successfully bombing the target, one of the four engines of the Halifax failed and the long flight to base was made on three engines. On September 22, Hughes bombed Hanover, the final operation of his tour. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that he had been awarded the DFM, and he was commissioned. After a short spell at navigation squadron training he volunteered in July 1944 to join the Bomber Command’s Pathfinder Force and he began converting to the twin-engine Mosquito bomber. In August he joined 692 Squadron, which was part of the Pathfinder Forces Light Night Striking Force (LNSF). The main task of the Mosquitos was to accompany the main bomber force and drop window before the attack to confuse the enemy air defence radars. They then headed for a different target on a siren tour, when they ranged far and wide over the Reich to drop a 500lb bomb on each of three or four targets. Among other tasks were spoof raids: when the main force was attacking a major target, the fast high-flying Mosquitos would head for other major cities to draw away the enemy night-fighter force. On New Years Day 1945, Hughes flew on a tunnel-busting operation against vital German lines of supply to the Ardennes offensive. During his tour of operations, Hughes attacked Berlin no fewer than 10 times, the last occasion on February 5. On the 14th, he flew a siren tour raid to Frankfurt, his 50th operation with the LNSF. He was awarded the DFC, the recommendation stating: Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal this officer has completed many further operational sorties against strongly defended enemy targets. At all times he has shown himself to be a skilful and accurate navigator. His courage, determination and devotion to duty have always been noteworthy. After the war, Hughes flew Mosquitos to Burma, where he later joined 52 Squadron at Calcutta flying Dakotas on re-supply routes in support of the campaign in Burma. Among the passengers he carried were the Supreme Commander, Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, and the future Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Harry Hughes DFC DFM AE Died on July 25th of 2023 at the age of 100.

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