Great War Observer’s casualty 1914-1915 Star trio awarded to later Qantas Empire Airways senior executive Lieutenant H.H. Harman, Royal Flying Corps later a Private, Middlesex Regiment who saw service on the Western Front from 4th January 1915 before later being commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment on 22nd September 1915., and subsequently transferring to the Royal Flying Corps where he would serve as an Observer with 12 Squadron along later Wing Commander O.C. Cassells, D.F.C. He would be wounded on 10th September 1917 suffering a gun shot wound, but would recover seeing several scrapes with German aircraft including being attacked by four Albatrosses on 25th March 1918, just two days later he would be wounded in an accident which would curtail his wartime flying. He would later travel to Australia, where in 1930 he would be appointed Secretary of Qantas Empire Airways, and would later become General Manager before retiring in June 1951.
Group of 3: 1914-1915 Star; (G-5115 PTE. H.H. HARMAN. MIDD’X R.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (LIEUT H.H. HARMAN. R.F.C.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with:
Forwarding slip from the Air Ministry dated 26th August 1922 forwarding his British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Photograph Album, the outside embossed ‘Qantas Senior Staff Dinner, GIVEN FOR Mr H. Harman, General Manager on the occasion of his retirement June 1951 comprising 12 photographs of the dinner
Letter of Condolence from Qantas Empire Airways Ltd dated 13th May 1960, which additionally estates a resolution was passed at a board meeting to the effect ‘The Chairman mentioned the recent death of Mr. H.H. Harman, and the Board resolved to place on record their deep sense of gratitude for the distinguished service which Mr. Harman had rendered to the Company for so many years.’
A further letter from Qantas, dated 17th June 1960, thanking Harman’s wife for the sale of his bowls for the use of employees lacking such sporting equipment whilst holidaying.
Herbert Henry Harman initially saw service as a Private (No. G/5115) with the Middlesex Regiment on the Western Front from 4th January 1915 before later being commissioned on 22nd September 1915. He would subsequently transfer to the Royal Flying Corps with whom he would serve as an Observer on the Western Front.
Harman would be wounded on 10th September 1917 suffering a slight gunshot wound in the shoulder, and having recovered would fly alongside later Wing Commander O.C. Cassells, D.F.C., during the course of several photographic and reconnaissance patrols he would be engaged by enemy aircraft on several occasions, one of these being on 25th March 1918, when he was engaged by four Albatross Scouts:
‘At 10.20am we decided to cross the line to procure photographs of the C.B. Area before the clouds completely obscured vision. When approximately over N9, four Albatross Scouts passed about 1,000 feet beneath us and turned and commenced to climb under our tail, at the same time opening fire. The Observer opened fire on the nearest machine and tracers were seen to hit the machine. After about 50 rounds had been fired, a suspicious cloud of smoke was seen to burst from the front of the enemy plane. For the next few seconds all four enemy machines were obscured under the Observer’s blind spot but when seen again only three machines were observed, disappearing eastwards, going down into the clouds’
Harman would again be wounded in a flying accident on 27th March 1918. Having recovered he would be transferred to the Unemployed List on 16th October 1919.
Later travelling to Australia, Harman would become a senior executive with Qantas Airlines, initially as secretary, being pictured at Archerfield Aerodrome on 25th April 1931 when the first scheduled Australia to England air mail left and later the General Manager, a significant figure he retired in June 1951.
