Flt. Lt. Harry Pears D.F.C.
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| Flt. Lt. Harry Pears D.F.C.
Thank you to Mike Pears, the son of Harry who provided us with the obituary shown below, which he wrote for his father drawing on content in Harry's draft memoirs and other sources, after the death of his father in 2016:
Squadron Leader Harry Pears, who died two months short of his 93rd birthday, was a former World War 2 and post-War Royal Air Force fighter pilot, and long served Air Training Corps (ATC) Civilian Instructor. Born in Durham on 30th May 1923, in the summer of 1941 (at the age of 18) Harry volunteered (after service in the Home Guard) for service as aircrew in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR), and was called forward for pilot training on 8th September 1941. After initial training and a grading course on De Havilland (DH) Tiger Moth aircraft at RAF Peterborough, Harry was dispatched by sea to Canada to undertake flying training in the United States, under the Admiral Towers scheme. However, upon arrival in Moncton, in Canada he was given the choice of either training in Canada or at No.1 British Flying Training School (BFTS) based at Terrell, in Texas. Harry chose the latter and in May 1942, he began his formal flying training as part of No.9 Course, No. 1 BFTS on the Boeing PT 17 Stearman and the Vultee BT 13A Valiant basic trainers, and then the North American (NA) AT6 Texan advanced trainer (known as the Harvard in RAF service). After gaining his pilot's wings and having been commissioned as a Pilot Officer, he was one of a number of newly trained RAF pilots retained for a year in the US, to act as flying instructors, in his case at Waco Army Air Field in Texas, training prospective US Army Air Corps and RAF pilots on the Vultee Valiant basic trainer under the 'Arnold (Flying Training) Scheme'. Having completed his time as an instructor, he returned to the UK at the end of 1943, whereupon he volunteered to re-train to fly the rocket-equipped Hawker Typhoon IB fighter-bomber aircraft. Upon completing his operational training, Harry joined the Typhoon-equipped No 175 Squadron, 171 Wing, 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF), flying from a range of Allied advance landing grounds in the Low Countries, and then occupied Germany, during the period September 1944 – May 1945. It was whilst serving with 175 Sqn that Harry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for having completed over 81 operational sorties, shooting down one enemy aircraft and damaging two others. At the end of the War in Europe, Harry, by now a Flight Lieutenant, was posted to India in late 1945, eventually joining No 5 (Army Cooperation - AC) Squadron, flying the Hawker Tempest Mk II fighter bomber aircraft, until the squadron was disbanded in 1947. Having returned to the UK from India, Harry (who had in May 1946 been granted a permanent commission in the RAF), was appointed as a weapons instructor – flying a wide range of aircraft including the DH Mosquito, Hornet and Vampire, also the Supermarine Spitfire and Gloster Meteor - serving initially at RAF Acklington, then with the Central Fighter Establishment and Air Fighting Development Squadron (AFDS) based at RAF West Raynham. During his time with CFE/AFDS Harry was one of the RAF team who undertook the pre-RAF service assessment of the NA F86N Sabre aircraft. At the end of 1951, Harry was promoted to Squadron Leader and posted to HQ RAF Cyprus, at RAF Nicosia, as Officer-in-Charge of No. 2 Armament Practice School. In 1953, he returned to the UK to reform and command 111 (Fighter) Squadron at North Weald, with the squadron been re-born on 2 December 1953, flying the Gloster Meteor Mk 8 fighter aircraft. Having completed his task of reforming 111 Squadron, in January 1955, Harry was posted to the Air Ministry as Officer-in-Charge Air Weapons Ranges. After two years at the Air Ministry, he was then posted to Head Quarters RAF Bomber Command where again he was concerned with air weapons policy. Part of his new role was to oversee the introduction of new weapons systems into service. One of the new systems Harry was involved with was the Douglas Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic (Nuclear) Missile (IRBM), with him having been part of the Thor missile 'Project Emily' team who led on the survey, and then the development of the 20 identified deployment sites for the RAF's four Thor missile squadrons. Whilst with Bomber Command, Harry also undertook an English Electric Canberra conversion course at RAF Bassingborne, and in late 1960, having completed his Canberra conversion course he was posted as Squadron Leader Bomber Operations to 224 Group RAF, based at RAF Changi, in Singapore. In this new role Harry took on responsibility for the provision of live weapons training for the three Canberra bomber squadrons (one each from the RAF, RAAF and RNZAF) based in that Theatre. He was also required to provide similar facilities and opportunities for the two fighter squadrons in the area – i.e. 1x Hawker Hunter Squadron (RAF) and 1x NA F-86 Sabre Squadron (RAAF). Unfortunately, early on in his tour with 224 Group, Harry attended a Full Medical Board at HQ RAF Changi. Sadly, the result of this Board was the loss of his flying category due to the deterioration of his eye-sight. With this he was given the option of continuing to serve in a ground role or to retire from (RAF) service on medical grounds. Luckily, Harry was given the opportunity by his Air Officer Commanding to continue as Squadron Leader Bomber Operations even though he was now deemed a non-flyer. During the remainder of his tour, Harry led on the conversion of the High-level Bombing Role of the Canberra to that of High-level (Target Area) Approach / Low-level Weapons Release – this technique being better suited for the weapons systems then being developed and introduced for the Canberra. In May 1963, Harry returned to the UK to start his last tour before his retirement from RAF service. As he wanted to be based post-retirement in the North of England the RAF arranged for him to be posted to HQ No.23 Group, which was then based at RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire. Finally, on 30th May 1965, (aged 42 years) Harry retired from the RAF as a Squadron Leader. Squadron Leader Harry Pears DFC, born 30th May 1923, died 11th March 2016.
Distinguished
Flying Cross |
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Pilot Signatures 
Pears, Harry
