HALY – Edward Fred Hutchinson
Flying Officer – Pilot – DFC – KIA 17 Sept. 1944 (Operation Market Garden?)
Service no. at entry: 1318907, 144463 when commissioned F/O
Cremated, buried Stonefall War Grave Cemetery
[Source: AD]
Flying Officer Edward Fred Hutchinson Haly
Edward Haly received his commission on 21st March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was later awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 21st September 1943. On 17th September 1944 he was flying in Halifax BB360 and was probably instructing with 1652 HCU rather than training. BB360 crashed near Angram, York on a training flight and all nine airmen on board were killed. He was twenty three years old and is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission list him as being the son of John and Edith Marie Haly and the husband of Daphne Pauline Haly, of Wokingham, Berkshire. But with him being originally from British Guiana.
It seems F/O Haly had been involved in a previous crash due to engine failure, when he was still a Sergeant: Halifax W7818 at Snaith airfield.
On 18th February 1943 Halifax W7818 had just taken off for a mine laying flight at 18.44hrs when an engine failed, losing height the pilot belly landed the aircraft at the edge of Snaith airfield in front of the Squadron Headquarters building. The aircraft was badly damaged but the crew escaped injury. All of the above were posted to 51 Squadron on 4th January 1943 from 1652 HCU. [Pilot – Sgt Edward Fred Hutchinson Haly RAFVR (1318907).]
[Source: http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york43/w7818.html, courtesy Audrey Dewjee]
[Picture courtesy International Bomber Command Centre]
HALY, EDWARD FRED HUTCHINSON
June 27th, 2009 at 7:31 pmInitials: E F H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 23
Date of Death: 17/09/1944
Service No: 144463
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Son of John and Edith Marie Haly; husband of Daphne Pauline Haly, of Wokingham, Berkshire. Of British Guiana.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: HARROGATE CREMATORIUM
source: cwgc
Flying Officer Haly was the pilot of Halifax II BB360 of 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit, which was taking part in three-engined circuits. On approach to land with undercarriage down the aircraft suddenly dived into the ground; subsequent examination of the wreckage found a pin believed to have shorn off from the elevator controls.
April 23rd, 2012 at 4:19 pmSource- W R Chorley’s Bomber Command Losses Volume 8
F/O Haly was married to my mother at the time of his death. Having survived a tour on Ops (maybe 2 tours?) and won a DFC, he was pleased to be posted to an HCU. Within days of arriving at HCU 1652, however, his attitude changed. He was dismayed that none of the aircraft seemed servicable or safe and was keen to go back on Ops. I gather this sentiment was not uncommon. Although listed at the top of this page as KIA, he was (as suggested by B Legate) training aircrew in an HCU at the time of his death. I believe losses were uncommonly high at HCUs, this due in part to the need for all airworthy planes on Ops.
April 20th, 2013 at 10:58 pmHis Distinguished Flying Cross recommendation :-
This officer has completed many operational sorties. On his first sortie (18-19/2/1943) he was involved in an accident due to engine failure which, except for his great skill as a pilot, might have had serious consequence. Undeterred by this trying experience he has continued to display unabated enthusiasm for operational flying. An outstanding captain of aircraft he has participated in recent large scale attacks against targets in the Ruhr Valley and the results show complete disregard of danger with which he operates.
Throughout his operational career this officer has displayed courage, skill and initiative of a high degree.
May 6th, 2013 at 10:06 am