Broadhurst, Harry

Date of birth:: October 28th, 1905 (Frimley/Surrey, Great-Britain)
Date of death:: August 29th, 1995
Service number:: 24035
Nationality:: British

Biography

Harry Broadhurst was born in 1905 in Surrey, England and grew up with the single-minded ambition of becoming a fighter pilot. Known as "Broady", he was nineteen when he joined the RAF in 1926. He got an early taste of the war when he flew the Hawker Heart, a light two-seater bomber/biplane against rebel tribesmen the North-West Frontier of India. By the 1930s, Broadhurst was an accomplished pilot flying fighters and doing acrobatics at the Hendon air shows in 1932-33.
He was posted to the Middle East in 1936 and 1937 as the chief instructor at an RAF training airbase in Egypt. The outbreak of World War II saw Broadhurst in command of a fighter squadron where he served with distinction during the Battle of Britain as a Wing Commander and later, as a Group Captain. On November 29, 1939, he was one of the first RAF pilots to shoot down a Heinkel-111 bomber.
His final claims were made on 19 August 1941, bringing his total aerial victories to 13 destroyed, seven probables and 10 damaged.
Broadhurst also provided air support during the Battle of France, an experience that imbued him with the importance of close air support during one of the most crucial operations of the war. In 1941 and 1942, his Spitfires provided escort for British bombers and in August 1942 for the raid on Dieppe.
In late 1942 he was posted to the Middle East and became Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO, i.e., chief of staff) to Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Coningham, the commander of the Desert Air Force (DAF). Broadhurst believed that Coningham was misusing the Desert Air Force. He took command of the DAF in January 1943 after Coningham was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Northwest African Tactical Air Forces. Broadhurst was then the youngest air vice marshal in the Royal Air force. He quickly reversed the way fighter aircraft were employed. Coningham, who was perpetually jealous of Montgomery, did not embrace close cooperation with the Army on the ground, believing instead it was the role of tactical aircraft to support and protect bombers. Broadhurst thought otherwise.
As soon as he took over, he had his fighter squadrons training to strafe and bomb on a collection of captured Axis vehicles he had set up outside Tripoli. The result was aerial cover unlike any seen before and the enduring gratitude of the men on the ground whose hearts were won by the support of the airmen. Nevertheless, Broadhurst’s enthusiastic backing of the Army did not always go down well with senior airmen who did not subscribe to his commitment to close air support. He was not dissuaded though and earned the gratitude of Montgomery and the ground commanders his airmen so ably supported.
In March 1944, he was posted back to England during the buildup for Operation Overlord, the cross-Channel invasion of France on June 6. As the Air Officer Commanding of the 83d Group, his unit was to provide direct tactical air support for the Second British Army in Normandy.
After the war, Broadhurst remained in the RAF and rose to the rank of Air Chief Marshal, retiring in 1976 after a career spanning fifty years. Along the way he was Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command and in 1959 commanded NATO’s Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Harry Broadhurst died in 1995.

Promotions
October 1, 1926: Pilot Officer
April 1, 1928: Flying Officer
June 1, 1932 Flight Lieutenant
June 1, 1937: Squadron Leader
January 24, 1940: Wing Commander
March 17, 1941: Group Captain
July 1, 1947: Air Commodore
July 1, 1949: Air Vice Marshall
January 1, 1954: Air Marshall
February 14, 1957: Air Chief Marshall

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Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Squadron Leader
Unit:: No. 111 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: January 1st, 1940

Citation:
"This officer was in command of the duty Squadron at an East coast aerodrome during November, 1939, when he was informed of an approaching enemy aircraft. He stated that the weather conditions were unfit for formation-flying and yet, despite the rain and clouds at ground-level, he took off alone, flying blind by means of instruments. Emerging above the cloud and endeavouring to clear an iced-up windscreen, he sighted the enemy aircraft. Squadron Leader Broadhurst attacked and caused it to turn on its side and dive vertically into cloud close to sea level. In following it down he narrowly escaped from crashing into the sea. On his return weather conditions had not improved, and it was only at the third attempt that he was able to regain his aerodrome."

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Acting Group Captain
Unit:: RAF Hornchurch, HQ, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: July 4th, 1941

Citation:
"This officer has been almost continuously employed on active operations since the war began. He distinguished himself during the intensive air operations over this country in August, 1940, by his determined efforts to intercept and destroy enemy bombers at night. In December, 1940, Group Captain Broadhurst assumed command of his present unit and throughout has performed outstanding operational work. He has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft besides damaging several others. One day in June, 1941, he took off alone in an endeavour to locate a pilot whom he believed had been forced down in the sea. In his efforts to direct a rescue boat he flew some 8 miles off Cap Griz Nez but had to return owing to lack of petrol. His ability, keenness and outstanding powers of leadership have been an inspiration to all and have contributed materially to the successes obtained by the squadrons under his command."

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Acting Group Captain
Unit:: RAF Hornchurch, HQ, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: December 19th, 1941

Citition:
"This officer has organised and led his wing with conspicuous gallantry and success. During a heavy engagement over Bethune, in June, 1941, Group Captain Broadhurst's aircraft was hit by a cannon shell which, besides making a large hole in the port wing, put the port wing guns out of action and also damaged the aileron thus making control difficult. A second shell hit the side of the fuselage, causing havoc in the cockpit. Group Captain Broadhurst received many small wounds in the arm and legs and only recovered from the effects of the shell-fire at 1,000 feet over the target area. Nevertheless, he flew the aircraft back to England. Within a few days, Group Captain Broadhurst was again leading the wing in action over Northern France. On the return journey, he was attacked by a force of 6 Messerschmitt 109's but, by brilliant tactics, Group Captain Broadhurst fought them off and, it is believed, destroyed 2 of them before the engagement was terminated some 15 miles north of Gravelines. Although his aircraft was damaged by the enemy's' fire, Group Captain Broadhurst flew it safely back to this country. Since being awarded the Distinguished Service Order in June, he has destroyed 8 and probably destroyed a further 4 enemy aircraft. He has set an example worthy of the highest traditions of the service."

Second DSO awarded as a bar for on the ribbon of the first DSO.

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Group Captain
Unit:: Headquarters, No. 11 Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: September 29th, 1942
Awarded for:: Operation Jubilee

Citation:
"In the combined operations against Dieppe on 19th August, 1942, this officer flew with great distinction. He completed several sorties during which he constantly flew amongst enemy bomber and fighter patrols. Although he was several times engaged by hostile aircraft, 1 of which he destroyed, Group Captain Broadhurst displayed great skill and furnished much valuable information regarding the trend of the air operations. In the course of his duties he flew alone for some 8 hours in an area where hostile patrols were operating in great strength. His skill and gallantry were of the highest order."

Second DFC awarded as a bar for on the ribbon of the first DFC.

Legion of Merit - Officer (LoM - O)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Acting Air Vice-Marshal
Unit:: No. 83 (Composite) Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: April 11th, 1944

Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB, Military Division)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Acting Air Vice-Marshal
Unit:: No. 83 (Composite) Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: August 15th, 1944

Knights/Dames Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (K/DBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Acting Air Vice-Marshal
Unit:: No. 83 (Composite) Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: July 5th, 1945

Grootofficier in de Orde van Oranje Nassau met zwaarden (ON.2x)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Air Commodore
Awarded on:: October 31st, 1947

Sources

Photo 1: Aces of Word War II
- Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
- The London Gazette Issue 34765 published on the 2 January 1940
- Gazette Issue 35208 published on the 4 July 1941
- Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35386 published on the 16 December 1941
- Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35721 published on the 25 September 1942
- Supplement tot The London Gazette Issue 36463 published on the 7 April 1944
- Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36656 published on the 11 August 1944
- Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37161 published on the 3 July 1945
-The London Gazette Issue 38113 published on the 31 October 1947