P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR
& F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C. RAF
Page updated: August 5, 2025
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Taken from the Talk by James Woolford
Details
My sources for this incredible story are two fold, on one side:
P/O Harvey's, his details are from official records, personal stories told to family.
F/O Wicksteed's are from a talk at Mullion by James Woolford and a book published in 1944 by Bernard, "FATHERS HEINKEL".
This is a must read as it explains exactly what happened to them on the night in detail and his life before his time in the RAF and after and an amusing episode when he received his medal from the King.
Both are compelling reading and watching.
My reason for including this story is, its about two men, their first action together and their continued friendship after this day.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
600 City of London Squadron RAF board.
P/O Harvey HE.111.
P/O Wicksteed 7.7.42.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
Whilst at Predannack P/O Harvey and F/O Wicksteed teamed up as a crew in No.600 Squadron. Wicksteed, a columnist for the Daily Express, acted as Harvey's Navigator/Radar Operator (Nav/RO). On 7th June they got involved in a brush off the Atlantic coast of Cornwall. They had taken off for a convoy patrol after completing their routine cockpit drill. Dusk convoy patrols were considered dull jobs; nothing ever happened and after a long and boring stay crews would be pleased to land and catch some sleep. At about 2250 they took off and set course for the convoy they were to protect which was steaming off St. Eval. In the book "War over the West" an account was given of their sortie: "Harvey radioed that he was in position and was immediately advised that an enemy aircraft was reported to be in the area. They scanned the sea around them and within minutes had spotted the intruder skimming over the waves. It was flying so low that its slip-stream was whipping up a huge spray of water in its wake. The raider spotted Harvey's Beaufighter almost as soon as it began to dive down onto them. The Germans turned away from the convoy and the bombing run they had already embarked upon and opened up on the night-fighter with a hail of red tracer bullets streaming from the upper turret. Harvey responded with machine gun and cannon fire of his own and battle was joined with a vengeance.
Night fighter pilots protecting their night vision at RAF Predannack.
AI Mk.IV radar in a Bristol Beaufighter.
Radio Radar Operator WWRAF brevet badge.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Ju88 reconnaissance version
Details
The intruder was identified at the time as a He 111, but subsequent studies of German records have shown that it was a Junkers 88 reconnaissance aircraft, carrying a crew of four. It was no match for the lighter, faster and more manoeuvrable Beaufighter. The British pilot scored several hits before a burst of fire blew off the intruder's port engine, showering the Beaufighter with flaming debris. The German aircraft continued to fight back with a tenacity that made nonsense of its crippled status. The Junkers was still flying and kept on peppering the night-fighter with tracers. The Beaufighter was hit in its port engine. Then the starboard engine caught fire as its propellers chewed on the spitting trail of orange venom. As Harvey gave the Junkers another long burst, the German wireless operator could be heard sending out an SOS. But the pleas for assistance were silenced when the bomber crashed into the sea. The crew were Oberleutnant Baumung, pilot, Oberleutnant Klemann, navigator, Feldwebel Fug, wireless operator and Feldwebel Maier, air gunner. The bodies of two crewmen, Baumann and Fug, were found later. Having shot down the Ju88 Harvey asked his base for a fix to help him return home. His aircraft had been damaged severely and was losing altitude very quickly. By the time they realised that they would never reach home, they were too low to bale out. Wicksteed went- forward to strap Harvey in his Sutton harness. He had barely returned to his own position when the Beau's port engine blew up and fell into the murky water. Having lost the engine on the port side the starboard wing dipped violently and hit the water. The Beaufighter cartwheeled into the sea. The front of the aircraft caved in on impact but somehow Harvey managed to get out. Wicksteed however was less fortunate. When the plane slipped under the waves he was trapped.
He111.
A bomber crew.
A pilot.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
30 October 2005 Cornish cliffs
Details
At about 30 feet the remains of the Beaufighter hit the bottom of the sea. Wicksteed fought to free himself and was lucky enough to make a hole in the canopy through which he rocketed to the surface. Harvey waited for him in the dinghy and as Wicksteed's dinghy had vanished the men squeezed themselves into the one small craft. Not built for two the dinghy capsized and the men were forced to take turns in the water and in the craft. They were about seven miles off shore but Portreath's flashing beacon was visible on the horizon. After five hours, when daylight broke they could see the cliffs in the distance. Afraid of being smashed on the rocks they successfully landed at a spot between Samphire Island and Crane Island. They struggled to get the dinghy to a cove, but the high waves caught them again. Harvey was the first to reach the shore, but having lost Wicksteed when the dinghy turned over he first tried to locate his partner. It was to no avail. Harvey therefore decided to climb the 300ft cliffs and find help. He did not know that Wicksteed had landed with the dinghy and was now looking for his pilot. Wicksteed also tried to climb the cliffs but after about 100 feet he lost his grip and fell back on the beach, sustaining more bruises than he had when the Beaufighter went down. In the meantime Harvey had found a farm and woken the family living there. The family warned civilians and Royal Marines, who started an immediate search for Wicksteed. When Harvey knew that his friend had been saved he reported to his controller at the Operations Room at Portreath. He was challenged by a sentry, who allowed him in after proof of his identity. There he found the controller writing his report, saying that a convoy had safely passed. A German aircraft had been destroyed and sadly a Beaufighter had been lost as well.
This is the embroidered badge for the Goldfish Club, which commemorates the evacuation of a disabled craft over or on water, and the use of life preservers such as inflatable life jackets and crafts.
RAF Portreath's Operations Block.
Operations.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Falmouth Arwenack Street 1950. ------------------------- Harvey Family ---------------- Google
Details
The next day Harvey was taken back to Predannack, from where he cycled back to his home in Falmouth to tell his wife that he was alive and well. Before the afternoon was out he was behind the counter of his shop selling fags. Harvey received an immediate DSO and Wicksteed the DFC. Wicksteed, who was a PR-man at the Air Ministry, had volunteered for aircrew duties at a very ripe age "(in his thirties)", accepting having to revert to two ranks lower to fly. The incident became the main theme in a book Wicksteed wrote later, called "Father's Heinkel". On 19th October 1943 Harvey was summoned to Buckingham Palace for an official presentation of the DSO by the King. In March 1946, when he was demobbed from the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant Harvey had logged 900 hours in Spitfires, Blenheims, Beaufighters and Mosquitoes. He went on to continue his business and died in 1981. His score list for the war mentioned five German aircraft and five V1 rockets. Wicksteed returned to Fleet Street and became one of the Daily Express's top journalists, entertaining the readers with his "Fun Finding Out" articles. He covered the Korean War and followed Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Africa during the tour when she learned that her Father had died and she was the new Monarch. Wicksteed was only fifty when he died.
Our original Shop Tobacconist (Harvey family) in 1990, a Gun & Fishing Tackle shop. RH window you can see the shotguns.
And today a Nepalese/Indian take away.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
DSO, 1939-, 45 Star, 1939-45 Star & 1939 - 1945 War Medal, France and Germany bar, Oak Leaf MID..
Details
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) Awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat, serving under fire.
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers.
MID - Mentioned in Dispatches. (signifies a commendation for bravery or distinguished service).
Cockpit of a Beaufighter.
Distinguished Service Order DSO George VI.
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).
MID - Mentioned in Dispatches.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
Aircrew of No.600 Squadron in front of a black Mk 1 I3eaufighter at Predannack. From left to right: Sgt Scobie, P/O Duncan, Sgt Georgeson, Sgt Boyd, Sgt Peacock, F/L Clegg, P/O Craig, F/L Ellis, Sgt Webber, Sgt Clarke, P/O Yielder, S/L McNeill Boyd, W/C Miller, F/L Motion and P/O Harvey.
P/O Harvey at RAF Cranwell.
P/O Harveys uniform. .
Radar operator in the back of a Beaufighter.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR & F/O
Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
L to R: Sgt. Scobie, P/O Duncan, Sgt. Georgeson, Sgt. Boyd, Sgt. Peacock , P/O Craig, F/Lt. Glegg with Jake the dog, F/Lt. Ellis, Sgt. Webber, Sgt. Clarke, P/O Yielder, S/Ldr. AD McNeil Boyd, W/Cdr. Miller, F/Lt. Motion, P/O AB Harvey DSO, unknown.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Radar operator, navigator Beaufighter. ---------------------- Belgian air training school at RAF Snailwell Cambridgeshire.
Details
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
Father's Heinkel - Mullion Old Cornwall Society - Talk by James Woolford
A talk by James Woolford of significant local interest given at Mullion Old Cornwall Society on 17th April 2023.
James I believe is a local historian and tells the story from Bernard's. I was going to add text from the book that was published in 1944, but finding this talk is much better addition.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
One man dingy.
Details
The type of one man life raft that they may have used.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR & F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Airborne interception Radar Mk IV
GEC designed a small powerful transmitter valve and EMI developed a new modulator which made the AI Mk IV the first successful Airborne Interception radar. The equipment could detect targets from a maximum range of 20.000 feet down to a minimum range of 400 feet. AI Mk IV quickly became the standard fit in RAF night fighters and was installed in the new Bristol Beaufighter which became operational just in time to take part in the defence of Britain during the Blitz in 1941.
P/O Albert B. Harvey D.S.O. RAFVR &
F/O Bernard Wicksteed D.F.C.
Details
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 30 JUNE, 1942
Distinguished Service Order. P/O Albert Brenton HARVEY (106869), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 600 Squadron.
Distinguished Flying Cross. Flying Officer Bernard Blake WICKSTEED (60434), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No.600 Squadron.
Both officers displayed considerable gallantry during this sortie.
Norway (coming soon!)
France
Great Britain
P/O Harvey HE.111.
