Squadron Leader Harvey Sweetman DFC

[Deleted]

WW2 fighter ace, Squadron Leader Harvey Sweetman DFC turned 90 on 10 October 1911.

Harvey has the dual distinction of being the last surviving foundation member of both 485 and 486 Squadrons.

Harvey is also one of only two surviving wartime squadron leaders of RAF 3 Squadron along with Squadron Leader Keith Thiele DSO DFC and 2 bars. Keith Thiele is also a New Zealander but he lives in Australia

3 Squadron began life on 13th May 1912 and is still flying today – They fly the Typhoon Eurofighter. As next year is the 100th anniversary of 3 squadron perhaps we should raise some funds to send Harvey and his wife back to the celebration that is being planned.

I am sure that those of you who have met Harvey will agree that both he and his wife Gwen are fantastic people and will join with me in wishing Harvey a slightly belated happy birthday.

[McFly]

Good on Harvey for celebrating his 90th . Just the mention of 485 Sqn and Harvey deserves a set of photos to mark the occasion...! ;D

Harvey also has his own Wiki page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Sweetman

And gets a good wright-up for his Tempest time + victories here: www.hawkertempest.se/sweetman.htm

Harvey is also a good friend of No 485 Wing RNZAF, and has supported all the reunions well.

SQNLDR Harvey Sweetman (left) and WGCDR Owen (Andy) Hardy, both NZ fighter 'Aces' who flew with 485 (NZ) Sqn and seen at the 2011 reunion. Between them they accounted for an impressive number of Bf 109s, FW 190s, a Ju-88, Do-217, Me-262 and 10+ V-1 flying bombs as well as innumerable ground targets. Modest chaps with some interesting tales.


485 Sqn pilots (L-R) - Ken Lee, Doug Brown, Harvey Sweetman and Owen Hardy - 2011

Good stuff here too: translate.google.com/translate?hl22=fr&ie22=UTF8&oe22=UTF8&prev22=%2Flanguage_tools&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cieldegloire.com%2F002_sweetman_h_n.php&langpair=fr

Harvey signing a Spitfire print that now hangs at No 485 Wing HQ - 2008.






Harvey opening the 'Bill (Hawkeye) Wells' room at 485 Wing HQ in 2010.


Harvey (front row R/H) at the 2008 reunion with his fellow 485 Sqn pilots.


No. 485 (NZ) Squadron members in 1941
Standing, (L-R): French; Donald Stuart McGregor; Richard "Dickie" Barrett (aka 'The Jeep'); William Arthur Middleton;, Allan Shaw; Graham Howe Francis;, John C. Martin; Marcus Knight (CO); Francis Noel Brinsden; Patrick Stewart McBride; Athol McIntyre;, T.G. Smith; Bengard; Neville; Gordon Ernest Erridge
Kneeling front, left to right: George; Murray; A.W. Morton; Hal Thomas; Dickie Bullen; Bill Crawford-Compton; Jack Maney; James Kerrow "Jim" Porteous (aka 'Pranger'); Austin B. Smith; Harvey Nelson Sweetman; and Kevin Desmond Cox

[Dave Homewood]

Great stuff, happy birthday to Harvey. He's a wonderfully nice chap.

I think maybe you mean 2011 that larry, not 1911 for his 90th birthday! ;D