16 Facts About Douglas Harries

Douglas Harries was seconded to the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915, serving mainly with airships.

Douglas Harries served with the Royal Air Force until the end of the Second World War, retiring as an air vice-marshal in 1946.

Outside of his military career, Douglas Harries played first-class cricket for the Free Foresters.

Douglas Harries was born at Sidcup and attended the Britannia Royal Naval College, graduating into the Royal Navy as a midshipman.

Douglas Harries served during the early stages of the First World War with the Royal Navy, before being seconded to the Royal Naval Air Service, where he was the commanding officer of Polegate Airship Station in 1915.

Douglas Harries was promoted from the rank of flight lieutenant to flight commander in July 1916.

Douglas Harries was seconded to the Airship Branch in April 1918, and was appointed to the Air Ministry as a staff officer in June of the same year.

Douglas Harries was awarded the Air Force Cross in the 1919 New Year Honours.

Douglas Harries played first-class cricket for the Free Foresters, making two appearances each in both 1919 and 1920, scoring 112 runs with a high score of 34.

Douglas Harries was promoted to the rank of wing commander in January 1926 and the following month he was posted to an RAF depot in Egypt.

Douglas Harries was appointed as head of the Intelligence Branch at the Directorate of Military Intelligence in 1930, before serving at the commanding officer of RAF Ramlah in Mandatory Palestine and RAF Amman in Transjordan in 1935 and 1936 respectively.

Douglas Harries was promoted to the rank of group captain in July 1935, before being promoted to the rank of air commodore in November 1938.

Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, Douglas Harries was the air officer commanding RAF Cranwell.

Douglas Harries was the air officer commanding No 23 Group in January 1942, succeeding Keith Park.

Douglas Harries was made an MBE in the 1943 New Year Honours.

Douglas Harries was promoted to the rank of air vice-marshal in November 1944.