Charles William Harris RAAF (1908)

Born 29 Aug 1908 in Collarenebri, New South Wales, Australia

Died [date unknown] in Ploudaniel, Brittany, France

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Biography

Charles Harris RAAF served in the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s): No. 10 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force; RAF Coastal Command
Service ended:

Killed on a desperate mission in a small Biplane flying boat to extract the family of General de Gaulle from Brittany at the Fall of France

Walrus L2312 which was on loan to 10 Sqn RAAF from 15 Group RAF (of which they were a part) and lost in action on an SIS operation over France. This extract from the Royal Air Force losses site provides details:

Date: 18th June 1940 (Tuesday) Unit: No. 10 Squadron RAAF. Location: Ploudaniel Brittany France Pilot: Fl/Lt. John Napier Bell AUS162 RAAF. Age 24. Killed Fl/Eng: Sgt. Charles William Harris AUS1730 RAAF. Age 31. Killed Nav: Cpl.Bernard Felix Nowell 565931 RAF. Age 25. Killed Passenger: Captain. Norman Edward Hope RA 141140 Intelligence Corps. Killed

Reason For Loss:

The aircraft crossed the coast of Brittany approximately 20 Kilometres west of Carantec. It is believed that the aircraft came under either French or German fire. The aircraft was hit and the pilot attempted to land in a field near Ploudaniel but hit an embankment (hedge row). The aircraft caught fire and all four occupants were killed. After the aircraft crashed some local people came from Ploudaniel and removed the bodies from the burnt out aircraft and buried them in the local cemetery before the German army occupied their town.

After General De Gaulle had arrived safely in England on Monday 17th June 1940, he made a special request to the Prime Minister Winston Churchill, asking him to rescue his family from Brittany. Prime Minister was in agreement and he informed the British Admiralty on the same day to arrange the rescue. The same day the Admiralty made arrangements with the RAF to supply a Sea Plane to take a SIS passenger (Captain Norman Hope) of the SIS, a fluent French speaker (as child - was in Vietnam).

Captain Hope himself would indicate where he wished to be landed and on instructions from the Prime Minister of Great Britain would endeavour to collect General Charles De Gaulle's wife and four children and bring them back to the aircraft for passage to England. The mission was considered extremely dangerous and required volunteers Fl/Lt. John Bell was probably the most experienced Walrus/Seagull pilot in 15 Group (after some 80 catapault launches in Australia - transferred from RAN to RAAF) and with Sgt. Charles Harris, both Australians and with Cpl Nowell set out for RAF Mount Batten (Plymouth). The aircraft was fully armed with two .303 Vickers GO guns ready to keep defensive watch at all times. On the 18th of June 1942 they took off at 03:00 from RAF Mount Batten to carry out the mission to rescue the family of General Charles De Gaulle from France. From the time of take off nothing was heard from the aircraft. The Germans were expected to approach the vicinity by 15:00 hours on the 18th.

On 19th June, Motor Torpedo Boat 29, after embarking an interpreter and a skiff was despatched from England to the same locality, to arrive off the main channel to Morlaix at 00:01 hours on 20th June [This would appear to be a search party].

The De Gaulle family, already having moved from the family home at Colombey Deux Eglises a month previously and were living in the Carantec District on the North Coast of Brittany.

Captain Hope died with the aircrew, when in fog, they collided with a hedgerow; crashed and burned. The Motor Torpedo Boat returned on 20th June, reporting that the interpreter had landed, but found the village already occupied by the Germans.

Burial Details:

Fl/Lt. John Napier Bell. Ploudaniel Churchyard, Brittany, France. Grave 4. Son of John Henry and Eva Annie Bell Farina, South Australia. Cpl. Bernard Felix Nowell. Ploudaniel Churchyard, Brittany, France. Grave 3. Son of Lawrence and Gertrude Nowell; husband of Susan Ann Nowell Bognor Regis, Sussex. Sgt. Charles William Harris. Ploudaniel Churchyard, Brittany, France. Grave 2. Son of William Charles and Denah Christina Harris; husband of Joyce Florence Evelyn Harris Croydon, New South Wales, Australia. Cptn. Norman Edward Hope. Ploudaniel Churchyard, Brittany, France. Grave 1.

Additional Information:

No. 10 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force was the only Australian squadron to serve continuously for the duration of the Second World War in Europe. It was a Coastal Command squadron mainly operating Sunderland's from Pembroke Dock and Plymouth, with 6 U-Boat kills in WW2, it also operated a number of other flying boats including the Catalina's and Walrus's. They arrived at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire on 3rd September 1939 to take delivery of a squadron of new Sunderland flying boats under RAAF Command. On 10th October 1940 they were placed under Coastal Command Control, for European War Operations.

Bell and crew were despatched RAF Mount Batten, Plymouth, Devon on 1st April 1940.

Thanks to Victor Smith for information supplied.

Sources

• https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2814007/norman-edward-hope/#&gid=2&pid=1

• http://www.adf-serials.com.au/walrus.htm
• https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1040404&c=WW2#R

• https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2814005/JOHN%20NAPIER%20BELL/

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/32/a2304532.shtml#top

• https://davidjbsmith.weebly.com/the-flight-of-the-walrus.html