Major HD Harvey-Kelly DSO

Dear all,


First of all, congratulations on your wonderful site. I'm supposedly researching for work but find I spend far more time reading it than I can possibly justify!

I am producing some television coverage of the unveiling of the St Omer memorial next month (11th September) with which I suspect you are all familiar. I'm trying to track down information about Major HD Harvey-Kelly. He was, I understand, the first RFC pilot to land in France with the BEF in 1914. I'm also led to believe he scored the first victory when he led a flight chasing a Taube 2. The German pilot couldn't escape his three antagonists so landed and hid. When Harvey-Kelly and his colleagues couldn't find him they set his aircraft on fire and flew off.

According to 19 Squadron's history in 1917 "during an offensive patrol of three Spads being flown by Major Harvey-Kelly, Lieutenants Hamilton and Applin they engaged eleven Albatros's led by Baron Von Richthofen. Major Harvey-Kelly and Lieutenant Applin were killed in action and Lieutenant Hamilton was taken as a POW."

What I am keen to discover is if there are any known pictures of this gentleman, and more to the point does anyone know where he was born or indeed any significant biographical detail - or where I could find it.

Thanks in advance.

Simon

[Scottie]

Simon,

you need to get hold of Airfields and Airmen: Arras and Airfields and Airmen: Somme by Mike O'Connor, published by Pen & Sword Books Ltd- available via Amazon or whatever.

In the "Arras" book there is a photo of Hubert Dunsterville Harvey-Kelly on page 72, and a page devoted to him.

In the "Somme" book there is a photo of him standing next to his BE2, and a little bit about his flight from Montrose in Scotland (where No 2 squadron were based), over to France on page 108-109.

Sorry I cannot send scans as this would be in breach of copyright, but the books are not expensive and are very informative.

Hope this helps.

Scottie

Dear Scottie,


Thanks for that I will get onto Amazon this pm.

In the meantime - it doesn't happen to mention where he was born does it?

Simon

[Immo_Frese]

Simon,

you may also take a look into the following book: Norman Franks & Hal Giblin, Under the Guns of the German Aces, London 2003, p. 174.

Harvey-Kelly is mentioned there with a short biography as he was the 25. victim of the german ace Lt.Kurt Wolff of Jasta 11. Unfortunately there is no mention of his birth place, but you will find some interesting details concerning the circumstances of his last flight and a controversy around the question if it was really him who brought down the german plane on 25 Aug 1914.

Immo

[Amy]

Hi Simon:

There are a couple of Cross & Cockade articles containing info on Harvey-Kelly:

1) "Major HD Harvey-Kelly: Commanding Officer, No. 19 Squadron" by M.L. Skelton, Cross & Cockade, Winter 1975. Article doesn't say where he was born but gives a short overview of his air service, particuarly with No. 19 Squadron. There's a photo of him sitting under his plane next to a haystack... while smoking a cigarette. Obviously, concern of personal safety escaped him.

2) "A Brief History of No. 19 Squadron" by James L. Dixon, Cross & Cockade, Spring 1971. Article is about the whole squadron, but there may be snippets of info on Harvey-Kelly that you could use. Also contains the same photo as found in the Winter 1975 issue.

If you're interested and don't have access to this issues, let me know and I'll scan and email the articles to you.

Cheers, Amy