S/L Harold Peter BROAD - No.44 Squadron - DFC, later CBE and Air Commodore

[HughAHalliday]

BROAD, Harold Peter, S/L (26174, Royal Air Force) - No.44 Squadron - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 17 January 1941. Spinks catalogue (30 November 2000) has some details as does Dix Noonan Web catalogue. Born in October 1909; joined the Royal Air Force as a Cadet at Cranwell in 1929. Commissioned Pilot Officer in December 1930, and was posted as a pilot to No.26 Squadron at Catterick. Posted to No.31 Squadron in India, 5 January 1932, before returning to the UK and attending an Instructor’s Course at the Central Flying School two years later. Served as an Instructor at No. 3 FTS before being posted to the Air Staff, HQ RAF Mediterranean in January 1936. He advanced to Flight Lieutenant in April 1936, and was posted as Instructor to No. 4 FTS. in January 1938. Advanced to Squadron Leader in June 1939, and was posted as a Flight Commander to No.44 Squadron (Hampdens) at Waddington. The unit became operational in June 1940, and was employed as part of No. 5 Group. By November 1940 Broad had flown 11 operational sorties with the squadron, among other targets he was detailed to attack enemy shipping in Wilhelmshaven and off Terschelling Islandand the sortie for which he was awarded the DFC - 8/9 October 1940. On the latter date 17 Hampdens attacked the German battleship Tirpitz in Wilhelmshaven dry dock. Broad was seriously injured when his aircraft struck an old hangar on landing on his return from a raid, 16 October 1940. He was taken off operational flying, attended RAF Staff College, and advanced to Temporary Wing Commander in June 1941. Posted to the Air Planning Staff, HQ Combined Operations in July 1942. He was on the Staff, Air Planning Section of the RAF Delegation to Washington, and was subsequently involved in the planning of the air operations for the invasion of Europe. Awarded CBE in VE Honours List which “reflected good work with the Air Planning Section of the RAF Delegation, Washington, work that involved close liaison with SHAEF.” Broad advanced to Group Captain in January 1951, and was appointed Officer Commanding RAF Kuala Lumpur in May 1954. Advanced to Acting Air Commodore, and was posted as SASO, HQ No. 61 (Southern) Group in May 1957. He retired in September 1957, and had a novel called Death on the Beach published by Cassel in 1959. Air Commodore Broad died in February 1988. Public Record Office Air 2/9251 has citation.

On the evening of 8th October 1940, Squadron Leader Broad led a formation in a successful attack against enemy warships and docks at Wilhelmshaven, pressing home the attack in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire. He has completed eleven operational flights and has displayed high qualities of leadership and courage at all times.

BROAD, Harold Peter, A/G/C, DFC (26174, Royal Air Force) - United States Legion of Merit (Officer) - awarded as per London Gazette dated 27 November 1945.

For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services from 24 January 1944 to 9 May 1945, as Assistant in the Air Plans Section, Allied Expeditionary Air Force and later as Chief of the Future and Post Hostilities Section of A-3 Section, Air Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. His skill, co-operation and ardent attention to duty materially contributed in the smooth functioning of the air operations in the invasion of the Continent. His intelligence and understanding of the Post Hostilities problems and his ability to assist in planning to meet each difficulty greatly aided this Headquarters in the strenuous period. His zeal, and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself and the Allied Forces.

BROAD, Harold Peter, A/G/C, DFC (26174, Royal Air Force)- Public Record Office Air 2/9141 has recommendation for a French Legion of Honour, one of several which had been offered by General Juin for SHAEF on 23 January 1945 but which had not yet been formally accepted as of 27 June 1945.

Since 1943 this officer has been associated with the development of plans and technique for the Allied landing in Normandy. Group Captain Broad has been engaged in planning the development of operations leading up to the liberation of France and the final overthrow of Germany.

[Jagan]

Some discussion on Broad here https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sh...-BROAD-(26174)

His logbooks, photo albums and papers are with the Imperial War Museum

I would be interested if a portrait photo of him surfaces..

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1030033358

A collection of papers relating to Group Captain (later Acting Air Commodore) Harold Peter Broad CBE DFC
including: Three Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Books (c.600pp January 1929 - September 1939 c.200pp October 1939 - January 1955 and c.52pp February 1955 - July 1957)
plus certificates and other documents stuck in covering his RAF service including RAF College Cranwell (January 1929 - December 1930)
26 Squadron at Catterick (December 1930 - September 1931)
course at Old Sarum (September-November 1930)
31 Squadron at Quetta (January 1932 - March 1933)
1 Squadron Indian Air Force at Karachi (April 1933 - March 1934)
RAF Depot Uxbridge (April-July 1934)
CFS Course Witterill (July-October 1934)
No 3 Flying Training School (FTS) Crantham (October 1934 - January 1936)
HQ Mediterranean Valetta Malta (January 1936 - January 1938
(Attached Italian Section AM March-April 1937))
No 4 FTS Abu Sueir (January 1938 - Jue 1939)
No 6 FTS Little Rissington July 1939 - January 1940)
1 FTS Netheravon OC ATS (January-June 1940)
No 16 Officer Training Unit (OTU) Upper Heyford (June-August 1940)
106 Squadron (crew training) Finningley (August - September 1940)
44 Squadron Waddington (September-October 1940) hospitalisation following a crash in October 1940
returning to flying at RAF Station Waddington (May-June 1941)
OC Oxford University Air Squadron (June 1941 - April 1942)
RAF Staff College (April-July 1942)
Combined Operations HQ (July 1942 - January 1944)
Allied Expeditionary Air Force Assault Force Liaison Officer (Force S) (January-March 1944)
G/C Future Plans (March-October 1944)
SHAEF working in various roles regarding plans and policy (October 1944 - May 1946)
OC 135 Wing (16 26 35 Squadrons - Tempests 319 and 350 Squadrons - Spitfires 25 Squadron - Mosquitos (attached))
RAF Fassberg (May-August 1946)
HQ 84 Group SASO (August 1946 - January 1947)
W/C Ops (Later D/SASO) RAF Dalejohn
Gresson?? (January 1947 - April 1948)
22 FTS Everston (June 1948 - May 1949)
A & AEE Boscombe Down (May-June 1951)
Air Ministry (June 1951)
OC RAF Kuala Lumpur (May 1954 - May 1957)
and SASO 61 Group (May-July 1957)
A diary written in a SO Book 136 notebook (84pp circa December 1942-February 1943 plus ts transcription 27pp) covering flight from Hendon to Maison Blanche Algeria via Gibraltar and Oran his work in Algeria and notes about airfield construction and lessons learned from Operation Torch

A ms letter written to his wife on Hotel Berchtesgadener Hof headed paper (20 May 1945 4pp plus envelope) mentioning how the conquerors get free wine and about his time in Salzburg
A Most Secret report 'Operation "Torch" - Lessons Learnt. Report of Investigation carried out in North Africa by Wing Commander P Broad.' (ts 35pp including appendices February 1943)
A 'Memorandum on the Training of Pupils for The Royal Air Force' (6pp plus covering letter)
Course lectures on Service Writing (3 lectures 4pp 2pp 3pp)
Top Secret Bigot paper 'Post 'Neptune' - Courses of action after capture of the lodgement area
Section II - Method of conducting the campaign' (ts 13pp 22 June 1944)
Top Secret Bigot paper ''Neptune': Stabilisation of the 'Neptune' Area' (7pp 10 June 1944)
Annexes 'A' and 'B' to Planning Staff SHAEF (45) 4 regarding two studies covering factual information on operations east of the Rhine and Rhine crossings under 'Overlord' conditions (21pp)
Air Staff SHAEF Outline Air Plan for Operation Eclipse (ts 19pp February 1945)
Secret Air Staff SHAEF Operation Eclipse Memorandum No 4 (37pp 4 April 1945) A situation map used by the Operations Staff of the German Air Ministry together with an account about how he came to own it (2 copies
7pp and 6pp written 1974)
A letter from the Air Ministry thanking him on behalf of HM The Queen for his service (August 1957)
a letter which accompanied the Queen's Coronation Medal (1953)
Lecture 'Air Power and the Command of the Sea' by Broad (ts 15pp two copies)
'Gordon Shephard Memorial Essay' by Broad (ts 11pp two copies)
'Lecture on the Air Aspect of the Coming Operations by the Greek Armed Forces' by Broad (4pp two copies)
Passport
AFHQ pass
SHAEF G-3 Ops War Room pass
CCG(BE) pass
A portrait photograph in the uniform of a Group Captain with DFC ribbon taken by Alex Corbett
and a large collection of Maps some annotated of the UK and other countries where he had been stationed.