Reginald Harland
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Reginald Edward Wynyard Harland KBE
CB
(born 30 May 1920) is a former senior Royal Air Force
commander.
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, Harland joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the start of World War II
. He transferred to the Technical Branch in 1941 and worked at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
in Farnborough
before becoming an engineer officer with No. 214 Group. In 1953 he became Project Officer responsible for the Thunderbird missile
at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He became Officer Commanding the Central Servicing Development Establishment at RAF Swanton Morley
in 1960, Senior Technical Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 3 Group
in 1962 and Air Officer in charge of Engineering at Headquarters Far East Air Force in 1964. He went on to be Project Director for the Harrier Project at the Ministry of Technology
in 1967, Air Officer Commanding No. 24 Group in 1970 and Air Officer in charge of Engineering at Headquarters RAF Support Command
in 1972. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Maintenance Command
in June 1973 and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Support Command
in August 1973 and retired in 1977.
In retirement he became Technical Director with W. S. Atkins. He stood as a Social Democrat for the constituency of Bury St Edmunds
in the 1983 and 1985 elections. He lives in the town and is a former President of the Bury St Edmunds Society, a local preservation group.
's first wife. She died in November 2011. The Harland's had three sons (one of whom died) and two daughters.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Reginald Edward Wynyard Harland KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(born 30 May 1920) is a former senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
commander.
Military career
Educated at Stowe SchoolStowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Harland joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He transferred to the Technical Branch in 1941 and worked at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
in Farnborough
Farnborough, Hampshire
-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
before becoming an engineer officer with No. 214 Group. In 1953 he became Project Officer responsible for the Thunderbird missile
English Electric Thunderbird
The English Electric Thunderbird was a British surface to air missile produced for the British Army. The Thunderbird was primarily intended to attack higher altitude targets at ranges of up to thirty miles or so. AA guns were still used for lower altitude threats...
at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He became Officer Commanding the Central Servicing Development Establishment at RAF Swanton Morley
RAF Swanton Morley
The former Royal Air Force Station Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force Station in Norfolk, England, located near to the village of Swanton Morley...
in 1960, Senior Technical Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 3 Group
No. 3 Group RAF
Number 3 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group first active in 1918, again in 1923-26, part of RAF Bomber Command from 1936 to 1967, and part of RAF Strike Command from 2000 until it disbanded on 1 April 2006.-The 1930s and World War II:...
in 1962 and Air Officer in charge of Engineering at Headquarters Far East Air Force in 1964. He went on to be Project Director for the Harrier Project at the Ministry of Technology
Minister of Technology
The Minister of Technology was a position in the government of the United Kingdom, sometimes abbreviated as "MinTech". The Ministry of Technology was established by the incoming government of Harold Wilson in October 1964 as part of Wilson's ambition to modernise the state for what he perceived to...
in 1967, Air Officer Commanding No. 24 Group in 1970 and Air Officer in charge of Engineering at Headquarters RAF Support Command
RAF Support Command
-History:It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of Maintenance Command, with No. 90 Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF...
in 1972. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command on 31 August 1973.- History :...
in June 1973 and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Support Command
RAF Support Command
-History:It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of Maintenance Command, with No. 90 Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF...
in August 1973 and retired in 1977.
In retirement he became Technical Director with W. S. Atkins. He stood as a Social Democrat for the constituency of Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury St Edmunds is a county constituency located in Suffolk and centred on the town of Bury St Edmunds. It elects one Member of Parliament to in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the 1983 and 1985 elections. He lives in the town and is a former President of the Bury St Edmunds Society, a local preservation group.
Family
In 1942 he married Doreen Romanis, an elder sister of comedian Tony HancockTony Hancock
Anthony John "Tony" Hancock was an English actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Hancock was born in Southam Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, England, but from the age of three was brought up in Bournemouth, where his father, John Hancock, who ran the Railway Hotel in...
's first wife. She died in November 2011. The Harland's had three sons (one of whom died) and two daughters.