Pockley, Harold Graham (Squadron Leader, b.1913-d.1945)

Places	Asia: Philippines, Mindoro Europe: France, Brittany, Finistere, Brest Europe: Gibraltar Europe: Iceland Europe: United Kingdom, England, Devon, Plymouth, Mount Batten Mediterranean Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Rathmines Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, Mascot Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, Rose Bay Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Tocumwal Oceania: Australia, Queensland, Brisbane Oceania: Australia, Queensland, Leyburn Oceania: Australia, Queensland, North Queensland, Bowen Oceania: Australia, Queensland, North Queensland, Cairns Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Lake Boga Oceania: New Guinea, Port Moresby Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Papua, Milne Bay
Accession Number	PR04192
Collection type	Private Record
Record type	Collection
Measurement	Extent: 2 cm; Wallet/s: 1
Object type	Log book
Maker	Pockley, Harold Graham
Place made	Australia, New Guinea, Philippines, United Kingdom
Date made	1939-1945
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright	Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain This item is in the Public Domain
Copying Provisions	Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required.

Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 260608 Squadron Leader Harold Graham Pockley, 10 Squadron, 41 Squadron and 200 Flight, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, United Kingdom, New Guinea and Philippines , 1940-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of two folders of material relating to Squadron Leader Pockley.

Folder 1 of 2 contains one flying log book of Squadron Leader Pockley, with entries dated between 9 January 1940 and 25 March 1945. It covers the period of his pilot training, seaplane conversion, and service in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Mediterranean, New Guinea. The log book records details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, crewmembers, and purposes of flights. Some of the purposes of flights include elementary flying training, cross country flights, navigation training, seaplane conversion, escorting convoys, reconnaissance, patrols, search and rescue operations, equipment experiments, photography, enemy shipping sweeps, bombing practices, leaflet drops, drills, aircraft conversion, and supply and passenger transport. This log book includes additional, detailed notes on significant flights, certificates for completed courses, and photographs relating to operations.

Folder 2 of 2 contains one telegram from the Royal Australian Air Force to Harold Graham Pockley, Melbourne, 22 December 1939. The telegram informs Mr Pockley that he had been selected to undergo flying training.

History / Summary

Squadron Leader Harold Graham Pockley enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 8 January 1940. After training as a pilot in Australia, he converted to seaplanes and served with 10 Squadron, based in the south of the United Kingdom. With 10 Squadron, Squadron Leader Pockley participated in anti-submarine and shipping patrols. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for 'operational sorties against enemy shipping' in July 1942 and the Bar to the DFC in November for 'destroying U-boats, R-boats and enemy merchant vessels'. In early 1944, Squadron Leader Pockey transferred to 40 Squadron and conducted regular transport flights between locations in Australia and New Guinea. In February 1945, he was given command of 200 Flight, a specialised unit formed to support M and Z Special units operating in the Netherlands East Indies and Borneo. Squadron Leader Pockley failed to return from an operation over Borneo on 25 March 1945. His aircraft was unable to be located, and he was believed to have been killed in a flying battle over the South China Sea. Squadron Leader Pockley is commemorated at Labuan Memorial, Malaysia.