Harold Walmsley
Born in Preston, Walmsley joined the RAF in 1940 and upon completion of his flying training was posted to No.
Flying the Supermarine Spitfire fighter, he claimed his first aerial victories in early 1943 on operations to German-occupied Europe and more followed the next year while serving with Nos.
He destroyed a number of aircraft in the final weeks of the war in Europe, for which he was awarded a Bar to his DFC.
Granted a permanent commission in the RAF after the war, Walmsley held a series of squadron commands.
In civilian life, he held senior management positions at the British Defence Consortium in Saudi Arabia and Airwork in Oman until his retirement in 1975.
He was working as a metallurgical laboratory assistant when he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in December 1940, when he was 18 years old.
[3] Commissioned as a pilot officer on 4 January 1943,[4] Walmsley made his first claim for an aerial victory five days later; this was for a Focke Wulf Fw 190 fighter probably destroyed near Abbeville.
[2] Tasked with carrying out offensive sweeps and escort missions to France with its Spitfires, the intensity of operations increased as the year progressed.
[2] Based at the Deurne airfield in Belgium, this was on ground attack duties, carrying out sorties with its Spitfire Mk.
Taking to his parachute, he was caught up in a tree when he landed but with the assistance of locals, he was able to free himself and return to his unit.
[9] Poor weather inhibited the squadron's operations supporting the Allied advance into Germany until spring, at which time aerial engagements with Luftwaffe fighters became more frequent.
[1][2] On 23 April Walmsley shot down a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 108 trainer aircraft over Parchim airfield.
[2] Based at Celle, this was a unit which was composed largely of Belgian pilots which had evaded the German occupation of their country.
His final aerial victory was a share in the destruction of a Fw 190 near Plaver Lake on 26 April.
The published citation read: This officer has completed many sorties since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and throughout has set a fine example of determination and devotion to duty.
[13] He went to the RAF Staff College in 1954 and, after completing a conversion course on the North American F-86 Sabre fighter, was appointed commander of No.
Once back in the United Kingdom, he was a staff officer at the Ministry of Defence, where he advised the parliamentarian Denis Healey.
[1][2] Recruited into the civil aviation industry, Walmsley went to Saudi Arabia as the deputy director of the British Defence Consortium.
Walmsley died on 2 April 2021; at the time of his death he was one of the last surviving flying aces of the RAF to have flown a Spitfire.
