Bomber harris biography for kids

Primary Sources

(1) In his autobiography Arthur Harris explained why he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.

The Gunners were full up. I thought I would learn to fly; even before the war I had toyed with the idea of joining the R.N.A.S.

and might have done so if it had not meant becoming a professional sailor.

I therefore joined the R.F.C.

Bomber harris do it again

To me it was just an incident pending the suppression of the Boche and the chance to get backhome to Africa. I certainly had no idea that air warfare would be my life's work. I had an uncle on Kitchener's staff so I slid round the 6000 "waiting list" - it was sheer nepotism. I was appointed a second-lieutenant on probation, and learned to fly.

During the war I had two main jobs. I formed and commanded a detached flight-and later a squadron - in the first Home Defence squadron of night fighters - in which Leefe Robinson shot down the first Zeppelin - and in France I commanded a flight in a fighter squadr