The Airmen's Stories - P/O R Hardy

Richard Hardy joined the RAF on a short service commission in February 1939. He began training on 6th February 1939 before going to No. 1 RAF Depot, Uxbridge on 15th April for an induction course.

He moved on to 6 FTS Little Rissington for No. 12 Course which ran from 1st May to 6th November 1939.

After completing his training he was posted to the newly-reformed 234 Squadron at Leconfield on 6th November 1939. On 8th August Hardy damaged a Do17.

In combat with enemy fighters off Swanage on 15th August 1940, his Spitfire, N3277 (below), was severely damaged. He was forced to land by Me109s near Cherbourg and was captured.

Above image courtesy of Darren Prior & Relatives of the Few Facebook Group.

In May 1941 Hardy is believed to have been on the permanent staff at Dulag Luft (Transit Camp - Air), a temporary holding centre for captured Allied airmen at Oberursel, near Frankfurt.

On 1st June 1941 18 PoWs, including 14 British members of the camp's permanent staff, tunnelled their way out of Dulag Luft. All were recaptured after an extensive search by 3,000 police and security personnel. Hardy was probably one of these escapees.

At some time he was held in Stalag Luft III at Sagan. Freed from captivity in May 1945, he was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant.

Hardy died in September 1997.