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Harry Diary Final Personal Diary 1944 Flying Officer / Navigator James Harrington (Harry) Doe (Born 20 December 1922 – Missing in action 29 July 1944) Introduction The following is a transcript from the 1944 diary of James Harrington (Harry) Doe, a young Flying Officer and Navigator with the Royal Canadian Air Force (#622 Squadron, RAF Mildenhall), whose Lancaster bomber was shot down over eastern France in July 1944. Harry, along with friend and fellow RCAF Flying Officer Harold Sherman (Al) Peabody, was thought to have survived the crash. Harry was my uncle. His older brother, my father Robert Eldon (Bob) Doe, was in Britain at the same time as Harry, serving in the Royal Navy. He and Harry coordinated leave periods to see each whenever possible. Yet, because my dad was reluctant to talk about the loss of his brother, the details of Harry’s life during the war were largely unknown to me. Upon my father’s passing in 2005, I was given a shoe box containing Harry’s effects – including this diary, his address book, two scrapbooks from my grandmother, squadron photos, and his official RCAF log books. Also included were accounts of the crash from the mayor of Petitmont (a town near the crash site), a local forester, and a local catholic priest. From these accounts, I was able to piece together a narrative for the night of the crash, which I posted to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial as captions to photographs of Doe and Peabody: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/ 232310?James%20Harrington%20Doe http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/ 1804042?Harold Sherman Peabody I began transcribing the diary in earnest in November 2017, after I was contacted by brothers Jon and Robert Peck, who were searching for information about their cousin, Al Peabody – the pilot of Harry’s downed plane. The Pecks had engaged Bishop’s University History Department (Sherbrooke, Quebec) to assist in their Harry Doe, 1943 inquiry. The results of this investigation, by students Sean Summerfield and Megan Whitworth, strongly suggest that Al and Harry were captured, interrogated, and executed by members of the German SS.1 I have completed this transcription to honor and add to the memory of Al Peabody and Harry Doe, by a faithful documentation of their young lives in wartime Britain in the run up to their last mission in July, 1944. Harry’s Journey Harry Doe was born in Calgary, Alberta, in 1922. His father, a WWI pilot, encouraged his love of airplanes, and Harry spent much of his youth competing in championships for model airplane construction and flight.2 Harry PAGE 1! OF !15 quarterbacked for Oak Bay High School, and championed as light-weight class boxer in the Greater Victoria Schoolboy Boxing Competition.3 In November 1941, at the age of 18, Harry enlisted in the RCAF.4 After early studies as an aircraft mechanic (#1 Technical Training School), he began navigation training (#4 Initial Training School and #2 Air Observer’s School, both in Edmonton, Alberta). Harry was commissioned as Pilot Observer and awarded his Navigation wings in August 1943. Soon thereafter he shipped out to #3 Personnel Reception Center (Bournemouth, UK). His first flying assignment came in early November 1943 to #1 (O) Advanced Flying Unit, RAF Wigtown, where he was posted in January 1944 – the start of his diary entries.5 By mid-January, Harry was posted to #12 Operational Training Unit, RAF Chipping-Warden, where he and RCAF Flying Officer Al Peabody “tied up” as a first step in forming a seven-man bomber crew. With Al as Pilot, and Harry as Navigator, other crew members included RCAF Flying Officer Ronald Louis (Lew) Fiddick as Bomber-Aimer and RAF Flight Sargent Percy William Buckley (Buck) as Air Gunner.5 Harry with his father, 1943. During run-up to D-Day, Harry and Al trained and flew extensively together (mid-February to late July). The two friends also spent significant off-hours together on leave around UK. On at least two occasions Harry and Al were on leave together in the company of my father, Lt. Bob Doe RCNVR. After the D-day invasion, Peabody’s crew flew eight combat missions including night strikes against the V-2 facility at St-Omer and the V-1 site at Rimeux, daylight battle support at Villers-Bocage and Caen, and night bombings of the Homberg oil plant and Stuttgart.6 The crew’s ninth mission (again targeting Stuttgart) was be their last. They were shot down over Lorraine, France at 01:30 on 29 July 1944. Of the seven-man crew, three were killed on impact, one was held prisoner in a German POW camp, and one evaded capture. Harry and Al were thought to have survived the crash, but the exact details of what happened to them in the aftermath remains a mystery. Bob Doe, Harry Doe, and Al Peabody (left to right), July 1944. – R. A. Doe, Los Gatos, California, 11 March 2018 Note: For clarity, a glossary of Bomber Command terms, slang, and locations is provided at the end of this document, along with a list of persons mentioned by name. [1] Summerfield, Sean, “The Peabody Project,” Senior Thesis, Bishops University, 2017 [2] Victoria Daily Times, 5 August 1944 [3] The Daily Colonist, Victoria, B.C., p.10, 4 Apr 1941 [4] The Daily Colonist, Victoria, B.C., p.9, 26 Apr 1942 [5] J. H. Doe Service Estate RCAF Flying Log Book, Navigation Log Book, and 1944 Diary [6] No. 622 Squadron Operations Record Book PAGE 2! OF !15 Prelude (from Harry’s diary) SUN 9/1/44 Slept late. Night flight scrubbed. Had piss up in mess. Names on ceiling. If I should die MON 10/1/44 and you bury me Got cleared. Caught train. Supper at Dumphreys. And send my things [End post at #1(O) AFU, RAF Wigtown] across the sea, TUE 11/1/44 One favor, ere Arrived London late. Phoned Angela, Mrs. Nulty, and Mrs. you let me be G-W. Caught 2:10 from Paddington. Arrived Station [RAF Chipping-Warden] for supper. Please burn this [Harry begins his post at #12 OTU, RAF Chipping-Warden] ruddy diary. WED 12/1/44 Toured Station. All usual bull. Good grub. Had everything on my bed last night. Got a fire tonight and its too hot. January Wrote Mom & Bob. [Diary begins with Harry located at #1(O) AFU, RAF Wigtown, THU 13/1/44 where he has trained since 2/11/1943.] Classes all day. Interesting stuff. Plot (D.R.) tonight. Not enough pilots. Wrote Angela. SAT 1/1/44 Flew yesterday afternoon with a terrific hangover. FRI 14/1/44 Midnight detail scrubbed. Must write: Uncle & Win, Harry Worked all day. Mess dinner at night. Developed into piss- & Nel, W.C. Minister up after G/C left. Tied up with Al Peabody - pilot. Good type. SUN 2/1/44 Slept till noon. Went for a long walk with Jimmy /J/ for [First diary mention of Flying Officer H.S. Peabody. This taxi. Wrote Mrs. G-W. Had a few beers. evening’s chaotic meeting in the mess is most likely describing the “instant courtship” when airmen (pilots, navigators, MON 3/1/44 gunners, etc.) are instructed to sort themselves into flight crew. Late for classes: W/T O.O. Went to “Thunderbirds.” Personal communication from Bob Doe, ca. 1975.] TUE 4/1/44 Hoisted the old rag. In pool but flying nights. Wrote Murphy. Parcels from Ken & Win, and Nel & Harry. WED 5/1/44 Flew 5 detail. Slept all day. Letter from Mom. Saw MAC in hospital. Went to flicks “Happy Go Lucky.” Detail scrubbed. Away to bed. THU 6/1/44 Slept till noon. CO’s parade. Saw Canadian liaison officer. Wrote Mom, Unc & Win, Nel & Harry, and Helen. FRI 7/1/44 Detail scrubbed. Slept till noon. Going to Chipping- Warden. Played Poker with Ozy. Detail scrubbed. Went to Kirkinner drinking. SAT 8/1/44 Slept till noon. Letter from Mom. Wrote Rev. McPherson, Andersons. Booked for “Casablanca” but had to fly. Had feed in hut after. Must write Harold, Bob, Don, Mom, Dorothy McFarlane. PAGE 3! OF !15 Al Peabody, SAT 22/1/44 June 1944. Classes in morning. Afternoon off. Banbury with Al. Saw show. Came back early. John Cracker here. Card from B.C. House, letter from Dorothy McFarlane & card from Mathews. SUN 23/1/44 Church this morning & P.T. Classes this afternoon. Pinched some coal & did some sewing. MON 24/1/44 Crew drill all day. Letters from Mom 4th - 9th. Wire from Bob. Answered. Uncle Harry’s Cigs. Bob phoned. Wrote Mom, Harold, Harry and Nel. TUE 25/1/44 Same as usual. Bags of P.T. Went to flicks: “Miss London LTD.” WED 26/1/44 Classes as usual. Sort of a piss up in mess [with] a local. Big line shoot. Letter from Elvins. SAT 15/1/44 THU 27/1/44 Very Stiff. Climbing rafters last night. Classes all day. Classes as usual. Went to “Nice Girl.” Al, WOP [Wireless Damn cold. Flicks cancelled so wrote Mom & Mr. Elvin. Operators], & Gunners went on leave. [First mention of Mr. Elvin, former WWI RFC Observer and future Sir Arthur Elvin MBE, who hosted Harry and his brother FRI 28/1/44 at his home, Norfolk House, at times during their leave periods. Classes - GEE & D.R.I. Snooker - bath & bed. Personal communication from Bob Doe ca. 1975.] SAT 29/1/44 SUN 16/1/44 Classes as usual.
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