KEMLEY, F/L Harold Joseph Sydney (RAF 128489) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.432 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette dated 25 January 1946 (with effect from 25 July 1944). Trained in Canada at No.33 ANS. Commissioned 14 August 1942. Joined No.427 Squadron, February 1943 (20 sorties) before posting to No.432 Squadron (13 sorties). Baled out of Halifax NP687 following raid on Stuttgart (25/26 July 1944) and evaded capture. Air Ministry Bulletin 20717/AL.1112 refers but has no biographical details. // Flight Lieutenant Kemley, as navigator, has completed numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty. // NOTE: DHist file 181.009 D.5557 (RG.24 Volume 20668) has recommendation dated 20 January 1944 when he had flown 19 ½ sorties (125 hours 45 minutes), 28 March 1943 to 5 January 1944. Squadron Navigation Officer at the time of submission. // This officer has made 19 ½ successful operational sorties,, 17 of which have been over strongly defended targets in Germany. During these trips he has shown a very high degree of navigational ability. At present he is employed as Navigation Leader and has demonstrated in his work an excellent example of loyalty and devotion to duty. Fir his inspiring leadership, his splendid record and outstanding ability, this officer is recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // This appears to have failed to gain approval. The same file has another recommendation (no date) drafted when he had flown 30 ½ sorties (194 hours 15 minutes), 28 March 1943 to 24 July 1944. // This officer has made 30 ½ successful operational sorties, 19 of which have been over strongly defended targets in Germany. During these trips he has shown a very high degree of navigational ability. At present he is employed as Navigation Leader and has demonstrated in his work an excellent example of loyalty and devotion to duty. For his inspiring leadership, his splendid record and outstanding ability, this officer is recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // The sortie list was as follows: // 28 March 1943 - St, Nazaire (6.00) // 2 April 1943 - Lorient (2.30, duty not carried out) // 4 April 1943 - Kiel (5.00, duty not carried out) // 8 April 1943 - Duisburg (5.45) // 10 April 1943 - Frankfurt (7.50) // 26 April 1943 - Duisburg (5.25) // 21 June 1943 - Krefeld (4.30) // 22 June 1943 - Duisburg (4.30) // 24 June 1943 - Wuppertal (5.20) // 25 June 1943 - Gelsenkirchen (4.40) // 28 June 1943 - Cologne (5.00) // 29 June 1943 - Le Creusot (7.50) // 3 July 1943 - Cologne (5.50) // 9 July 1943 - Gelsenkirchen (6.20) // 24 July 1943 - Duisburg (5.40) // 26 July 1943 - Sea Search (4.50) // 27 July 1943 - Duisburg (5.50) // 29 July 1943 - Hamburg (5.50) // 2 August 1943 - Hamburg (5.40) // 9 August 1943 - Mannheim (6.40) // 2 December 1943 - Berlin (7.00) // 5 January 1944 - Stettin (8.05) // 30 March 1944 - Nuremburg (7.45) // 18 April 1944 - Noisy-le-Sec (5.00) // 22 April 1944 - Dusseldorf (5.10) // 27 April 1944 - Montzen (4.30) // 1 May 1944 - Ghislain (4.10) // 11 May 1944 - Boulogne (3.45) // 6 June 1944 - Coutrance (4.10) // 9 June 1944 - Le Mans (5.35) // 14 June 1944 - St. Pol (3.45) // 16 June 1944 - Sterkrade (4.30) // 24 July 1944 - Ferfay (3.55) // Website re aircraft incidents in Yorkshire has the following incident under the heading HALIFAX DK140 DAMAGED BY FLAK, RETURNED TO LEEMING AIRFIELD. “On the night of 25th/ 26th June 1943 the crew of this No.427 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Gelsenkirchen, the aircraft was damaged by a flak burst and received holes in the wings and fuselage while the bombsight equipment was also damaged. The crew made a safe return to Leeming airfield at 04.20hrs.” Crew were - Pilot - F/Sgt Eric Arthur Johnson RAFVR (1212389); Navigator - F/O Harold Joseph Sydney Kemley RAFVR (128489); Bomb Aimer - F/O John William Moore RAFVR (127509); Wireless Operator - F/O W. E. Moyle RCAF (J15890); Air Gunner - Sgt Henry Alfred Jackson RCAF (R140357); Air Gunner - F/Sgt Geoffrey Bruce Whyte RCAF (R56436); Flight Engineer - Sgt Norman Jones Huxley RAF(AAF) (820050).