From LAC to Flight Lieutenant – Harry Beckett

I just had to find more about Harry Beckett, one LAC who earned his observer wings and survived. Harry Beckett died on January 7, 1980 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was 69 years old. Harry was born on August 12, 1910 in Hull, Yorkshire, England. His parents were Frank Beckett and Mary Shepherdson. He married Patricia Viola Flanagan.

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PL-8038 26 February 1942 #9 Bombing & Gunnery Mont Joli Qc., L) LAC D.W. Warwick, Toronto, (R) Chosen as “Course Senior” by his fellow-airmen, LAC Frank Beckett, Meaford was among the graduates at a recent Wing Presentation held at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mont Joli, Quebec. He is now a full-fledged Observer in the R.C.A.F.

This is what I found on this website.

http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nbpennfi/penn8b2Beckett_H.htm

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BECKETT, F/O Harry (J11103)
– Distinguished Flying Cross
– No.115 Squadron
– Award effective 1 July 1943 as per London Gazette dated 9 July 1943 and AFRO 1724/43 dated 27 August 1943.

Born 12 August 1910. Home in Fort William; enlisted Hamilton, 28 May 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.31 BGS (guard duty), 20 June 1941. To No.5 ITS, 8 August 1941; graduated and promoted to LAC, 27 September 1941 when posted to No.8 AOS; may have graduated 29 December 1941 but not posted to No.9 BGS until 3 January 1942; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 28 February 1942 when posted to No.2 ANS; graduated and commissioned 30 March 1942. To “Y” Depot, 31 March 1942; to RAF overseas, 20 April 1942.
Promoted Flying Officer, 1 October 1942.
Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 September 1943.
Repatriated 23 November 1944.
Retired 6 February 1945.
Award presented 7 December 1943.
Photo PL-25540L is a portrait.

As navigator this officer has completed numerous sorties over enemy territory. These have included flights in such heavily defended objectives as Hamburg, Berlin and Essen and several long distance missions to such places as Spezia and Turin.
Flying Officer Beckett has always displayed a most commendable enthusiasm for operations and great courage in the face of the enemy.

NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/8964 has recommendation drafted 21 May 1943 when he had flown 25 sorties (139 hours 30 minutes). Sortie list and submission as follows:

16 November 1942 – Gardening, objective not stated (7.03)
7 February 1943 – Lorient (5.15)
4 December 1942 – Gardening, Frisians (4.30)
26 March 1943 – Duisburg (3.30)
15 December 1942 – Gardening, Lorient (6.20)
29 March 1943 – Berlin (7.15)
20 December 1942 – Duisburg (4.15)
14 April 1943 – Stuttgart (5.30)
28 December 1942 – Gardening, area not stated (4.10)
16 April 1943 – Skoda Works (7.50)
2 January 1943 – Gardening, La Rochelle (7.40)
18 April 1943 – Spezia (8.45)
13 January 1943 – Gardening, La Rochelle (6.35)
20 April 1943 – Stettin (7.45)
14 January 1943 – Lorient (6.10)
26 April 1943 – Duisburg (3.10)
15 January 1943 – Lorient (5.40)
30 April 1943 – Essen (3.15)
26 January 1943 – Lorient (5.35)
4 May 1943 – Dortmund (3.45)
27 January 1943 – Gardening, La Rochelle (7.40)
12 May 1943 – Duisburg (3.10)
3 February 1943 – Hamburg (5.15)
13 May 1943 – Bochum (4.05)
4 February 1943 – Turin (5.00)

This officer has completed a total of 25 operational sorties as a navigator, including targets like Duisburg (four times), Hamburg, Berlin (twice), Essen and also long trips like Pilsen, Turin and Spezia. Flying Officer Beckett is a skilful and determined navigator and has always shown great courage in the face of the enemy. He has always shown great keenness to fly on operations.

SOURCE: Air Force Association of Canada website & Hugh Halliday (July 31, 2010).

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207784817/harry-beckett

About a picture in Fred Turner’s collection

John Clarke commented on a photo in Fred Turner’s collection.

The aircraft named DH Rapide, in the Summerside collection, is, in fact, a DH Dragonfly. From Wikipedia “Seven airframes were shipped to Canada, and erected by de Havilland Canada, where they served a variety of small commercial operators, the R.C.M.P. and two with the R.C.A.F. At least one, CF-BFF, was fitted with Edo floats, and used commercially.”

Sergeant J. Alexander McGillivray’s collection of photos

Shared by his son John McGillivray who wrote…

The highlights of my father’s service record are as follows;
1923 to 1927 – private with The Royal Montreal Regiment while studying to be an electrician at the Montreal Technical School
1927 to 1937 – worked with the Bell Telephone Company.
1937 to 1940 – worked with Northern Electric.
1940 – Worked with Dominion Bridge Company
14 August 1940 to 7 November 1940 – L/Cpl 4th Division Signals R.C.C.S. (N.P.A.M.)
9 November 1940 to 28 December 1940 – No 1 Manning Depot, Toronto Ont.
28 December 1940 to 20 May 1942 – No 9 Service Flying Training School, Summerside, P.E.I.
21 May 1942 to 8 June 1942 – RCAF Station Sydney, N.S.
9 June 1942 to 22 April 1943 – No 128 Fighter Squadron, Sydney, N.S.
23 April 1943 to 27 April 1944 – RCAF Station Sydney, N.S.
28 April 1944 to 15 February 1945 – No 21 Repair Depot, Moncton, N.B.
16 February 1945 to 1 July 1945 – No 6 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit, Moncton, N.B.
1 July 1945 to 4 July 1945 – No 2 RC Lachine, Qc.