Goode, H K (Harry King)
Goode, H K (Harry King)
Group Captain Harry Goode was the son of Thomas Goode and of Margaret Goode (nee King); husband of Ena Marshall Goode (nee Scales), of St. Austell, Cornwall. Harry first joined the army in 1915 and served for two years in France before transferring to the Army’s Royal Flying Corps during 1917 and then he moved onto the Royal Air Force (RAF) during its creation in 1918. He would soon though become a fighter ace, whilst serving with 66 Squadron in Italy, shooting down 15 enemy planes and balloons whilst fighting on the Italian front during that year. He was the highest scoring pilot within the RAF on that front. The squadron was soon disbanded.
Harry Goode’s service would continue in various squadrons until December 1941 when he finally retired his commission and joined the civilian, Air Accidents Investigation Branch. During his time with the RAF, he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Force Cross. Unfortunately, this decision would result in him losing his life in August of the following year whilst aiding 120 Squadron, who were based in Ballykelly, County Londonderry.
August 1942 was not a good month for 120 Squadron. By the 20th of that month, they had lost twenty men. All three events that caused their deaths were the results of accidents. That summer, 120 squadron was attached to RAF Predannack, in Cornwall, England as well as Ballykelly, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
During the evening of the 20th of August, Liberator III LV340[1] took off from RAF Ballykelly on its way to RAF Nutts Corner in County Antrim, on a non-operational test flight in bad weather conditions which had grounded most other planes in the area. Whilst flying low northwest of Carnlough in County Antrim the bomber flew into the side of a mountain and disintegrating on impact. All those on board lost their lives instantly. The mountain is listed as Limnalary Mountain in official records, but it seems the crash was on the side of Big Trosk Mountain.
Onboard was Flying Officer, Michael Dear (Captain),[2] Sergeant Arnolous Bothma Meyer (Second Pilot),[3]Pilot Officer Albert Benjamin Gomperts (Navigator),[4]Sergeant Charles Humphrey (Flight Engineer),[5] Pilot Officer Robert Ainslie (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[6]Sergeant Ivan Victor McQuay (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[7] Sergeant Thomas William Taylor (RNZAF,[8] Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[9]and GroupCaptain (Retired) Harry King Goode DSO DFC AFC, who was a Passenger.
Group Captain Harry Goode was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross along with his campaign medals for two world wars.
Date of Death: 21/08/1942 (Aged 47)
Service: Group Captain, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, 120 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Service Number: N/A
Burial Location: Plot W. Grave 14.
[1] The Liberator III was an American designed heavy bomber which first flew in 1939 and was introduced to military service during 1941. The Liberator had the long range required for anti-submarine missions.
[2] Flying Officer, Michael Dear (Aged 20), Service Number: 63107, was the son of Reginald Edward Beckly Dear and Lilian Mabel Dear, of Weybridge, Surrey, remembered on Liverpool’s (Anfield) Crematorium.
[3] Sergeant Arnolous Bothma Meyer’s story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[4] Pilot Officer Albert Benjamin Gomperts (Aged 27), Service Number: 109101, was the son of Maurice and Greta Gomperts. He was laid to rest in Willesden Jewish Cemetery, England, Section FX. Row 1. Grave 10.
[5] Sergeant Charles Humphrey (Aged 22), Service Number: 627737, was the son of Charles Henry and Lily Humphrey, of Maidstone. Laid to rest in Maidstone Cemetery, Kent, England, Plot C.C.1. Grave 126.
[6] Pilot Officer Robert Ainslie (Aged 30), Service Number: 1118813, was the son of Robert Ainslie, and of Mary Ainslie (nee True), of Glasgow; husband of Jenny Paton Ainslie (nee Paton Leitch), of Knightswood, Glasgow. He was laid to rest in Tollcross (Central) Churchyard, Glasgow, Scotland, Section E. Grave 22.
[7] Sergeant Ivan Victor McQuay, Service Number: 1180592, was laid to rest in Sholing’s (St. Mary) Churchyard, North of chancel, England.
[8] RNZAF is the Royal New Zealand Airforce.
[9] Sergeant Thomas William Taylor’s story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
