Wing Commander FA Harte
Frazer Apsley Harte
- Rank
- Flying Officer
- Later rank
- Wing Commander
- Honours
- DFC
- Squadron
- No 107 Squadron
- School
- King Edward VII School, University of the Witwatersrand
- Fate
- Killed in action, 9 October 1941
- In the book
- Pages 1, 32, 100
Stories that mention him
- How six young South Africans joined the RAFLinks of Long Standing
From the book
Links of Long Standing
Several joined well before war was declared including amongst others, TH Archbell, AS Ainslie, I Bocock, CBE Burt-Andrews GL Cruickshanks, G Chater, IB Difford, FA Harte, GDL Haysom, CB Hull, GLB Hull, AG “Sailor” Malan, EJ Morris, MT Pattle, H Rosofsky, JF Roulston RN Selley, HWL Sheahan CR Taylor and FL Watson.
Links of Long Standing
Frazer Apsley Harte educated King Edwards in Johannesburg and Wits University arrived in England in 1936 armed with an engineering degree and South African Air Force service. He joined the Metro Vickers Company and was 26 years old when he commissioned as a Royal Air Force Reserve Flying Officer in 1938 shortly before the company contracted to build Avro Manchester’s under licence.
Links of Long Standing
Lionel Leon, educated at King Edwards volunteered from America when war was declared and had just turned twenty when he commissioned in November. Harte was a Royal Air Force Reserve Flying Officer while Austin, Dawson-Squibb, Deas, Leon and Whiting would have received standard notifications after their Recruiting Office “Air Crew Selection Board” interviews, “You will be taken on strength from the date you report for duty and will also be issued with uniforms etc. as soon as possible thereafter. You should therefore bring with you the minimum of personal requirements” which translated as arriving at their designated “Receiving Wing”, a 90 second regulation haircut, health check, identity documentation issue and a few weeks of “square bashing”.
The Dreaded Telegram
No 107 Squadron Blenheim pilot, Squadron Leader Frazer Apsley Harte, was awarded the “Distinguished Flying Cross” in March 1941. The Coastal Command squadron, reassigned to Bomber Command, moved to Malta in August with 29- year-old Wing Commander Harte DFC as commanding officer. Harte, his crew and an army observer lost their lives on October 9th when two Blenheim’s collided during a shipping strike off the coast of Sicily. His parents in Johannesburg Alfred and Charlotte received the news he was “missing presumed drowned” but waited several weeks before his death was confirmed unaware the squadron had lost five commanding officers that year.