Harbourne Mackay Stephen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | (1916-04-18)18 April 1916 Elgin, Scotland |
| Died | 20 August 2001(2001-08-20) (aged 85) London, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
| Rank | Wing Commander |
| Commands | No. 166 Wing No. 602 Squadron No. 234 Squadron |
| Conflicts | Second World War |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Civil division) Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross &Bar Mention in despatches Air Efficiency Award |
| Other work | Newspaperman |
Harbourne Mackay StephenCBE, DSO, DFC*, AE (18 April 1916 – 20 August 2001) was a Britishflying ace of theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) during theSecond World War. He was credited with the sole destruction of at least nine aircraft of theAxis powers.
Born inElgin,Scotland, Stephen joined the RAFVR in 1937. Called up for service in theRoyal Air Force (RAF) on the outbreak of the Second World War, he was posted first toNo. 605 Squadron and then, following beingcommissioned apilot officer,No. 74 Squadron. He flew extensively during theevacuation from Dunkirk and then theBattle of Britain, during which he destroyed at least four German aircraft. He was twice awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross during the Battle of Britain and at the end of 1940 was awarded theDistinguished Service Order.
From early- to mid-1941 he performed instructing duties and was then posted toNo. 234 Squadron and participated in several offensive operations, attacking radar sites in France. He achieved his last aerial victory in October. Following the entry of theEmpire of Japan into the war, he was sent to theFar East where he commandedNo. 166 Wing and later served in a series of staff postings. After the war he chose to not pursue a career in the RAF and instead returned to his pre-war occupation as a newspaperman. Managing a number of newspaper titles for the next several years, he was made aCommander of the Order of the British Empire in 1985 for his services to the profession.
Born inElgin, Scotland on 18 April 1916, Harbourne Mackay Stephen was the son of Thomas Stephen, who was a bank manager andjustice of the peace.[1] He was initially educated privately, by agoverness, but then went to schools inEdinburgh and later atShrewsbury School inShropshire. He finished his schooling when he was 15-years-old and soon afterwards went toLondon to work in thenewspaper industry.[2][3]
Stephen initially worked as acopy boy forAllied Newspapers but in 1936 began working in advertising for theEvening Standard. In April the following year he joined theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). His initial flight training was completed atNo. 13 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School and once he had gained the requisite flight hours, he took a six-month sabbatical from his job for training with theRoyal Air Force (RAF). His course finished just on the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939.[2][3]
Called up for service in the RAF, Stephen was sent for further training at No. 11 Group Fighter Pool, atSt Athan in Wales, gaining experience on theHawker Hurricanefighter aircraft. He was then posted toNo. 605 Squadron, at the time based atTangmere, as asergeant pilot. The squadron saw no action until 28 March 1940, when it intercepted aHeinkel He 111medium bomber; Stephen's section leader engaged it but without success. The bomber was subsequently located and destroyed by pilots ofNo. 43 Squadron.[2][3]
On 1 April Stephen wascommissioned as apilot officer, although on probation,[4] and transferred toNo. 74 Squadron, which operatedSupermarine Spitfire fighters. His new posting was based atHornchurch and he flew extensively during theevacuation from Dunkirk. On 24 May he helped shoot down aHenschel Hs 126reconnaissance aircraft nearDunkirk and was also involved in the destruction of aDornier Do 17 bomber nearCalais. Two days later, he shared in the destruction of another Hs 126, although this was not confirmed. On 27 May, about 5 miles (8.0 km) from Dunkirk, he shot down aMesserschmitt Bf 109 fighter, and then, nearBoulogne, helped destroy a Do 17.[2][5]
As part ofNo. 11 Group, No. 74 Squadron was heavily engaged once theBattle of Britain commenced in July.[6] Stephen's first claim in the battle was on 28 July, for a damaged Bf 109. On 11 August, while flying overDover, he destroyed one Bf 109, damaged another, and also damaged aMesserschmitt Bf 110heavy fighter, all of which were confirmed. He also claimed two Bf 109s and two Bf 110s but these were unable to be verified. He engaged a Do 17 over theThames Estuary on 13 August, claiming it as probably destroyed.[5] The squadron was moved toNo. 12 Group for a rest period in mid-August and two weeks later Stephen was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross (DFC).[2][6] The published citation for his DFC read:
Since May, 1940, Pilot Officer Stephen has flown continuously with his squadron on offensive patrols, and taken part in numerous engagements against the enemy throughout the Dunkirk operations. He has also been engaged protecting shipping in the Channel and has taken part in intensive air operations over the Kentish coast. During one day in August, in company with his squadron, Pilot Officer Stephen participated in four successive combats against large formations of enemy aircraft over the Thames Estuary and Channel and during these engagements he shot down five enemy aircraft. He has now destroyed a total of twelve enemy aircraft and has always displayed great coolness and determination in pressing home his attacks against the enemy.
— The London Gazette, No. 34932, 27 August 1940[7]
No. 74 Squadron returned to duty with No. 11 Group in September, based atColtishall.[6] Stephen continued his run of success against theLuftwaffe, destroying aJunkers Ju 88 bomber and damaging a Bf 109 over London on 11 September. At the start of the following month, he damaged a He 111 nearCromer, inNorfolk, and then on 5 October shared in the destruction of a Do 17 30 miles (48 km) fromHarwich.[5][8] By this time the squadron was equipped with the updated Spitfire Mark II and was operating fromBiggin Hill[6] and Stephen destroyed a Bf 109 on 20 October, which was confirmed, and also probably destroyed another. A week later he destroyed another Bf 109. On 14 November, flying over Dover, he engaged and shot down threeJunkers Ju 87dive bombers. The next day, he damaged a Bf 109.[5][8] It was also announced inThe London Gazette that he had been awarded abar to his DFC; the published citation read:
One day in October, 1940, this officer was on patrol with his squadron when enemy fighters were sighted and attacked. Pilot Officer Stephen fought four Messerschmitt 109s at 29,000 feet, causing the tail of one to break off, and destroying a second. He has destroyed at least 13 enemy aircraft, and his courage and skill as a fighter pilot have been a great incentive to other pilots in his squadron.
— The London Gazette, No. 34993, 15 November 1940[9]
On 17 November Stephen shared in the destruction of a Bf 109 nearBrighton and at the end of the month again shared in the shooting down of a Bf 109, this time near the Thames Estuary.[5][8] This was the 600th aerial victory for squadrons flying from Biggin Hill, which he shared with fellowflying aceJohn Mungo-Park.[10] At the start of the following month, he claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed and this was followed on 5 December with a confirmed Bf 109 destroyed plus a share in another Bf 109 shot down. On 24 December, he was awarded theDistinguished Service Order (DSO), the first immediate award of this decoration of the war.[5][8] It was the third gallantry award made to Stephen in just six months.[2] The citation for the DSO, as published inThe London Gazette, read:
One day in November, 1940, Pilot Officer Stephen led a section of his squadron in an attack against, an escorted formation of enemy bombers, three of which he destroyed. Later in the month, he undertook a voluntary patrol in company with his flight commander and destroyed a Messerschmitt 109. This success brought the number of aircraft destroyed by members of his home station to the magnificent total of 600, and, at the same time, increased his own score to nineteen. His exceptional courage and skill have greatly enhanced the fine spirit shown by his squadron.
— The London Gazette, No. 35022, 24 December 1940[11]
Taken off operational flying on 11 January 1941, Stephen was posted toNo. 59 Operational Training Unit at Edinburgh as its chief flying instructor. However this was short-lived for he wasseconded to theRoyal Aircraft Establishment atFarnborough.[3][8] He wasmentioned in despatches on 17 March[12] and then, on 1 April, his probationary status as a pilot officer confirmed, he was promoted toflying officer.[13]
In June Stephen returned to operations atPortreath, posted to the newly formedNo. 130 Squadron but late the following month was sent toNo. 234 Squadron as its commander.[3][14] At the time, the squadron was based atWarmwell inDorset and was regularly flying to France to attack radar sites and carrying out protective convoy patrols.[15] Flying a Spitfire Mark Vb, he damaged a Ju 88 on 12 August nearAntwerp. On 15 October, he, along with another pilot, shared in the destruction of a Bf 109 nearLe Havre.[5] He was promoted toflight lieutenant in November.[16]
In early 1942, following the entry of theEmpire of Japan into the war, Stephen was posted to theFar East. He served as awing leader atDum Dum, inCalcutta, and later atJessore.[3][14] On 14 July, he was promoted tosquadron leader.[17][18] He was then given command ofNo. 166 Wing, operating fromChittagong in theBurma campaign. A recipient of theAir Efficiency Award in 1943, he subsequently held staff postings at the headquarters ofNo. 224 Group andAir Command South East Asia.[1][3][5][14]
By the end of the war, Stephen held the rank ofwing commander.[14] He had been credited with nine aerial victories plus eight more shared with other pilots. He also claimed four more aerial victories as destroyed, but these were unconfirmed. He was also credited with three German aircraft probably destroyed, and seven more damaged.[5]
Offered a permanent commission in the RAF after the war Stephen declined, preferring to return to the newspaper industry. He took up a managerial role at theScottish Daily Express, theScottish Sunday Express and theEvening Citizen, based inGlasgow.[3][14] He resumed a part-time career with the RAFVR when in September 1950, he received an emergency commission as wing commander for appointment to theRoyal Auxiliary Air Force to commandNo. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron. He remained its commander until 1952.[19][20][21]
In 1956, Stephen became the general manager of theSunday Express and theSunday Graphic, both part ofLord Beaverbrook's newspaper publishing empire. Three years later he began working for the Kemsley Newspapers Group when he became manager ofThe Sunday Times and under his stewardship, the newspaper introduced a colour supplement. In 1963 he became managing director atThe Daily Telegraph.[14] In the1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, Stephen was appointed a Commander in the Civil division of theOrder of the British Empire for "services to the newspaper industry".[22]
Interested in charitable work, Stephen helped to found theRaleigh International charity, which provided young people with the opportunity to become involved in environmental and community works. He was also on the Council of theRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds and theScientific Exploration Society.[14] He died in London on 20 August 2001, survived by his wife Erica and two children.[23][1]