The Mariner's Mirror The International Quarterly Journal of The Society for Nautical Research ISSN: 0025-3359 (Print) 2049-680X (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rmir20 Roy E. G. Harris (1926–2020) John M. Bingeman & Stephen Payne To cite this article: John M. Bingeman & Stephen Payne (2020) Roy E. G. Harris (1926–2020), The Mariner's Mirror, 106:2, 132-132, DOI: 10.1080/00253359.2020.1746092 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00253359.2020.1746092 Published online: 01 May 2020. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 141 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rmir20 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00253359.2020.1746092 © The Society for Nautical Research The Mariner’s Mirror 106:2 (May 2020), 132 Roy E. G. Harris (1926–2020) B orn on Empire Day, 24 May 1926, Roy Harris volunteered to join the Royal Navy in 1943 aged 17½ in the newly created Photographic Branch. After initial training, he was given a short service commission before being sent out to Malta. Here Roy joined a Mosquito Squadron undertaking early morning ‘photo recce’ flights over Italy. After 20 successful missions, they were caught by flak over Trieste setting their starboard engine on fire, which was successfully doused. They made it back at 1,500 feet after ditching all possible equipment, including their parachutes, to lighten the plane before landing back at Malta. When coming in to land, the pilot clipped a building breaking off the starboard wing. Unfortunately, the broken wing’s engine hit and killed the pilot, while badly injuring the observer and breaking both of Roy’s legs when the tail broke off; the two ended up in Bighi Hospital. When Roy’s war service ended in 1947, he returned to complete his qualification as an ophthalmic optician. He joined the opticians Bateman & Sons, and worked in several of their branches before finally ending up managing their Portsmouth, North End branch. In 1962 Roy attended a ‘recruiting’ ceremony on board HMS Victory held by the Society for Nautical Research. Besides joining the main Society, he joined SNR (South), the newly formed Portsmouth Branch organized by SNR Council member, Bill Majer. For over 50 years Roy played an active role in all of SNR and SNR(S) activities including the Anglo-French Conference organized by Dr Roger Knight at Portsmouth in 1988 and the return event at Brest. During the Festival of the Sea meetings, Roy organized the SNR stand next to Victory with leaflets and past copies of The Mariner’s Mirror for sale; these were 3–4 day events where he personally set up and dismantled the Society’s stand. He served on the South’s committee for many years; he was their Chairman from 1979 to 1983, elected Vice-President in 1992 and President in 2015. Roy also served on the SNR Council from 1993 to 1997. After retirement Roy spent 20 years as a volunteer in the Royal Naval Museum Library, helping in a large number of roles including computerizing the names of Second World War naval casualties. His interest in naval history took him, and his wife, Anona, on a series of cruises around both the Mediterranean and the Baltic where they took the opportunity to visit historical naval sites. It was through Roy’s long-standing membership of the Royal Naval and Royal Albert Yacht Club that SNR(S) started to use their premises for their regular meetings. With nearly 60 years’ membership of SNR, his major contribution to the running and ongoing success of SNR(S), and his work at the Royal Naval Museum justified Roy’s nomination to be awarded the Fellowship of the Society for Nautical Research in 2017. Due to reduced mobility, Roy stood down as President of SNR(S) at the 2017 AGM, but was made President Emeritus by a grateful Society. Roy continued to receive and avidly read our newsletters until his passing on 10 March 2020. John M. Bingeman and Stephen Payne SNR Members