The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. J K Haire

Born on the 25th September 1920, John Keatinge Haire (later given the nickname 'Bunny' by his RAF colleagues) was one of three children to Sidney and Nora Haire of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

He enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve during the summer of 1939 and was sent to No 1 Elementary Flying Training School at Hatfield, Herts on the 4th December to begin his flying training.

Along with other students he stayed at ‘digs’ called ‘Oaken Gates’ in St Albans Road, Hatfield, whilst attending the No 2 War Course attached to ‘A’ Flight. (Amongst other pilots on the same course were Sgt FHR Baraldi and Sgt ED Baker).

Haire (seated centre above) passed out from the course on the 10th May 1940 finally being posted to 145 Squadron at Dyce on Wednesday 11th September, the squadron later moving to Tangmere Sussex in early October.

His first patrol was six days later on the 17th September from 1545 to 1615, a gale blowing most of the day according to the Operational Record Books. His next patrol was on the 20th September for two hours between 1440 and 1640 but no enemy aircraft were sighted.

Between the 4th and 21st October, Haire made another 10 patrols each lasting about one hour, but with no sight of the enemy.

Wednesday 23rd October started with bad weather, and even with poor visibility several patrols were carried out by 145 Squadron. It would be a day to remember for Sgt Haire, for at the end of it he was awarded a part share in the probable destruction of a Ju88.

At 1637 Sgt Haire, flying as Red 2, along with P/O RD Yule as Red 1, was ordered to patrol Beachy Head at 16000ft above the clouds. The ORB for that day describes the combat thus;-

At 1710 they sighted a Ju88 coming out of a cloud and heading in a NW direction. Both of them climbed into the sun intending to make a beam attack, but the Ju88 turned east and dived steeply. Pilot Officer Yule attacked from astern firing four short bursts of 960 rounds from 350 to 200yds. Sgt Haire then attacked and fired two short bursts of 400 rounds at between 250 to 150yds range. Incendiary bullets were seen to enter the fuselage and return fire came from the rear gun, but this ceased during the attack. The Ju88 released its bombs and disappeared into thick cloud as white smoke was seen coming from its port engine.

P/O Yule also noted in his combat report that the enemy aircraft had standard camouflage of dark green on top with light blue underneath with yellow roundels around the crosses on the fuselage.

Three Ju88’s from KG77 were recorded as being lost on this day, it is probable that Haire and Yule’s victim was Ju88A-1 (no 3151) that crashed near Neuilly Hospital, France, Fw Kissel being killed with two NCO’s being wounded.

On Friday 25th October the weather improved and several patrols were carried out, Haire taking part in two of them.

At 0920 the whole squadron was ordered to patrol ‘base’ at 10000ft with 213 Squadron, landing at 1100 without any interceptions. At 1125 the squadron was up again patrolling in the vicinity of Dungeness and Tenterden, all aircraft returning safely at 1300, except P/O Yule and P/O BM de Hemptinne, who both made forced landings after combat, P/O Yule suffering a bullet in his leg.

The next day was very cloudy and again the whole squadron were on patrol, this time from Selsey Bill to Winchester, but no enemy aircraft were spotted.

Sunday 27th October started as a fine sunny day, and the whole of the squadron were ordered to patrol in company with 213 Squadron, at 15000 feet, taking a line from Mayfield to Tenterden. They eventually climbed to 31000ft but no enemy aircraft were seen and they landed back at Tangmere at 1220. At 1630 eleven aircraft from 145 took-off to patrol East of the Isle of Wight as Southampton and Portsmouth had been bombed.

By 1715 the squadron were fully engaged in dogfights with Me109’s over the Island, P/O Jottard being one of the first to report shooting down one of the Messerschmitts five miles South of Bembridge, only to be a victim himself by the return fire from the same 109.

Sgt Weber was shot down in the Solent and rescued unhurt by a passing Motor Torpedo Boat, whilst Sgt Haire acting as a ‘weaver’ (flying above and behind the main body of the squadron) was shot down over Bembridge, crash landing on the beach, the whole action being witnessed by Coastguard Leonard Rowe.

He was to recall the incident in a letter written to John Haire’s parents in April 1941 –

It was about 5 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon with a battle close overhead; we saw a plane circle to make for its base with smoke coming from its engine and eight miles of water to cross. About 30ft high he made a sharp left hand turn over a 20ft high cliff and landed just in the water. I lost no time in getting to him, but I was relieved when I got to the cliff edge to see him getting on to the wing of his aeroplane. When I got him ashore he asked me to go with him to get the wireless and other small things ashore and not until then could I persuade him it was time to have a bath and some food. I was determined they would not send him back to his base that night before he had got a bath, dry clothes, food and a good sleep. We talked very little, only of his home in Belfast and his rides on his motor bike along with another chum.

John Haire was taken to Leonard Rowe’s house called Beachclose at Firelands, Bembridge, where he met Leonard Rowe’s wife and two children David and Muriel aged 10 and 11yrs.

Sgt Haire recounted the moment his aircraft was hit stating -

When halfway over I decided to go back over the island, with smoke and steam coming from the engine I made ready to land. I looked over the side and saw houses in front of me. I made up my mind to crash on the shore or just in the water.

In 1993 Muriel Chatfield (nee Rowe) was still living in the same house and she recounted the day she met Sgt Haire -

There was an air-raid on Portsmouth with the sirens going, I was in the house with my mother, my father was in the bath, and my younger brother David was standing on the coal-bunker watching the planes. Suddenly a plane with smoke pouring out of it appeared over the tree tops, veered off and crashed out of sight on the beach. My father rushed down the stairs, out and across the fields bare footed, but he was a very good runner. He scrambled down the low cliff and on seeing the pilot struggling to get out of the cockpit waded out to the plane which was in about 6-8ft of water. Although the tide was coming in, the pilot insisted on returning to get his radio. After a meal and a change of clothes my father took John Haire to the Coastguard Station so that his squadron could be contacted and report the state of his aircraft ( by this time it was completely submerged). While here John explained that he had hoped to land the plane in the field at Forelands, but realised he didn’t have room because of the houses, so made the decision to crash-land on the beach. After spending the night with us he was collected by the police the next day and returned to his station. My mother had dried his clothing but he had to borrow a pair of shoes as his flying boots were still soaked with sea-water. His plane was towed away the next day by a local tractor and the RAF recovery team, who had great difficulty as it had been covered by two tides and had settled into the sand.

Sgt Haire’s Hurricane V6888 was in fact salvaged and became an instructional airframe No 2333M.

After rejoining his squadron at Tangmere, Sgt Haire was sent on a week’s leave on the 28th October, spending it with his sister in Huntingdon where she was engaged on war work.

John Haire returned to duty on Monday the 4th November but didn’t fly again until Wednesday the 6th which was to be his last mission.

Although the Battle of Britain was now over (according to the Air Ministry definition it ended on 31st October) the situation continued unchanged with Me109’s flying high level ‘Frei Jagd’ operations over the south-east along with Me110’s. The morning was quiet and it was not until the early afternoon that an incoming raid was reported heading towards Southampton.

Almost immediately, 602 and 145 were scrambled to engage the Messerschmitts, from Major Helmut Wick’s JG2 ‘Richthofen’, that were now between the Isle of Wight and Shoreham, Sussex.

The pilots of 602 succeeded in shooting down four of the Me109’s straight away with no losses but 145 were not so fortunate. P/O Webber was shot down but landed safely at Duxmore. However Sgt Haire, who was again acting as a ‘weaver’, was shot down and killed whilst attempting to bale out too low from his stricken Hurricane V6627.

The ARP Post near Avreton Village (now named Arreton) reported seeing an aircraft engulfed in flames over Perreton Farm (part of the Heasley Farm Estate) and informed the Home Guard who rushed to the scene.

George Calloway was in the ARP post at the time and witnessed the events which he noted in his day-log, which he recalled in March 1992.

The Hurricane was on fire having been attacked by Messeschmitts, and looked like it was going to crash on the houses of Arreton. Instead of baling out the pilot stayed in the aircraft and steered it away into open fields. Only then did he attempt to bale out, standing on the wing before jumping, however he had left it too late for his parachute to open fully and he fell to the ground. I rushed into the field with others including the Rev Edward Burbidge to try to help the pilot. Sadly he died as the vicar was saying prayers over him. We used the farm gate to carry his body out of the field.

That same night Reverend Burbidge composed a letter to Squadron Leader AH Boyd, the Commanding Officer at Tangmere.

Dear Sir, I understand that a pilot named Haire who crashed and was killed near here about 3pm today came from your command. I managed to reach the spot just before he died. He had apparently jumped when near the ground as he was lying some distance from his plane. He never regained consciousness but I was able to say a commendatory prayer and give him the Blessing as he died. The men around joined in the Lord’s Prayer. We cannot but feel grateful to him for bringing his machine down clear of our village. Perhaps it may be of some comfort to his relatives if you could pass some of this on.

Five days later S/Ldr. Boyd wrote to Sgt Haire's parents in Belfast.

Dear Mr Haire, I am writing to express my deepest sympathy in the loss of your son. During the time he was in this squadron he proved himself to be a valuable pilot and carried out some exceptionally fine work. As you know, he was shot down previously but this never altered either his courage or determination, and I feel that I have lost a most useful member of my Squadron. It may be of some consolation to know that he lost his life in a successful attempt to save his machine from crashing on a village and thus saved the lives of others. I enclose a letter from the vicar of this village near where he crashed which shows that his last act was to save the lives of others.

Another letter was written to Haires parents on the same day by a local farmer, George Moody, who also witnessed the events and had rushed to the scene -

Several planes were fighting overhead and one came circling down out of a clear blue sky over the farm. Smoke seemed to be coming from one side of the machine and the pilot, after going round twice, turned into the wind as if to land. Almost at once, however, flames poured out from the front of the plane and it made a dive to earth, the pilot baling out at once. I dashed in my car to the field, but unfortunately could do nothing. The plane was blazing and the ammunition going off, while a short distance away lay the pilot. I took his helmet off but could do nothing for him. I was very struck by the peaceful and calm expression on the face of the gallant boy. He was untouched by fire and to my inexperienced eye seemed to be asleep. His parachute was ineffective because he was so low when he baled out. I am a farmer and unused to letter writing but I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the parents of this very gallant gentleman, may God rest his brave soul. Happily this is not the end - it cannot be; such dauntless courage and bravery could never be finished. His spirit somewhere lives on and will never die.

A book written in 1941 called ‘Helmut Wick – Das Leben Eines Fliegerhelden’ by Joseph Grabler describes the events of 6th November 1940 from the German perspective. Maybe Helmut Wick was suffering from some battle fatigue when he related the events of the day -

Today we had a terrific time again. We met a heap of Hurricanes which fly lower than we do. I am just getting ready to attack when I notice something above me and I immediately shout over the intercom ‘Attention - Spitfires above us’. But they were so far away that I could begin the attack on the Hurricanes. They were just turning away from their original course and that sealed their fate. Almost simultaneously the four of us fired at their formation. One went on my account, the rest of the Hurricanes pulled up to a higher altitude. During this manoeuvre I once again caught the one on the right hand outside. He was done for immediately and went straight down. I wasn’t sure if I was unwell or if my nerves were about to break but when the second Englishman went down I just wanted to go home. As we began for home I see below me three Spitfires. I am the first to see them and attack, already the first one falls.

It can now be seen that according to the RAF losses for that day, eight aircraft were shot down, no Spitfires being lost, so it must be concluded that the ‘Spitfire’ shot down by Wick on his way home was, in fact, a Hurricane and it is probable that this was Sgt Haire. (The other two kills being Sgt Adair from 213 and P/O Tillett from 238 Squadron).

Major Wick was to lose his own life over the same Island some twenty two days later when he was shot down in a dogfight over The Needles by Flt Lt John Dundas DFC* of 609 Squadron. Almost immediately Dundas was attacked by Wick's No 2 and shot down into the sea, his body never to be found.

This was the second occasion in a dogfight that John Haire had steered his crippled aircraft away from residential housing.

Always thinking of others even during the height of battle, this young fighter pilot could have taken to his parachute straight away, but that would have meant probable death or serious injury to the people below as his unmanned Hurricane fell onto the village of Avreton. He would pay the final price for his gallant act.

Sgt John Haire's body was returned to Ireland and was laid to rest at Belfast (Dundonald) Cemetery in Section D4 Grave 102. He was just 20 years old.

©Simon Muggleton 2007