July 2015
Squadron Leader Harold Starr – 253 Squadron
This biography of Harold Star, and everything on this page, is reproduced with the kind permission of Swindon Heritage magazine. (NB: The magazine exists no more.)
Harold Starr formed the pivot around which Swindon remembered The Few. This post tells something of his story.
And here is how Swindon remembered Harold Starr.
Harold Starr’s grave in Radnor Street cemetary
Harold Starr was born on September 8,1914 – the fifth of six children born to Ellen and Morley Starr. He grew up in the Central Temperance Hotel in Regent Street (now the site of the Savoy – there are blue plaques there commemorating the Starr Brothers) where his mother was proprietor and his father worked as as shop fitter.
Harold attended Clarence Street School but completed his education at Cotham Grammar School when the family moved to Bristol.
While still at school, Harold became a member of the Officers’ Training Corps, and, at the age of just nineteen he won an RAF scholarship. He was awarded his ‘Wings’ in 1935.
However, following an accident at South Marston in June 1936 ,it looked as if Harold’s flying career might be over. While practising a forced landing he crashed and the wing of his Hawker Audax damaged the gable end of Hunt’s Copse farmhouse.
Injured and out of action
Harold received life-threatening injuries sustaining a fracture at the base of his skull and leg and chest injuries. He was out of action for more than a year.
Within two months of the outbreak of war, Harold was back flying and,on August 8 1040 he was placed in command of 253 Squadron.
The Battle of Britain campaign diary records that August 31, 1040 dawned fair but hazy as formations of enemy aircraft appeared in the Deal, Dover and Thames Estuary areas.
At 7.55 am, around 250 aircraft attacked in five distinct waves. The onslaught continued until the evening. RAF Biggin Hill was bombed twice causing a serious fire and wrecking aerodrome buildings, runways, gas and water mains – as well as aircraft.
By the end of the day, Fighter Command reported its heaviest losses to date. And among those pilots was 25 year old Squadron leader Harold Starr.
Harold’s Hurricane was short down over Estry near Sandwich during an interception patrol. After his plane was hit the young pilot managed to somehow bail out at 15,00 feet. But, as he floated down on his parachute, three Messerschmitts circled him and opened fire with machine guns. His body came back to Swindon for burial in a family grave in Radnor Street Cemetery. His funeral took place on September 6, two days before what would have been his 26th birthday.
So, come September this year, when the country will remember all of the The Few, Swindon will honour Harold Starr in its own special way.
See also: Swindon Remembers the Few – https://swindonian.me/2015/09/16/swindon-remembers-the-few/
Blue plaques for the Starr Brothers
Further information
Why do we love the Spitfire and other resources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3jkwmn
The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust: http://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/the-battle-of-britain/the-few/
Aviation related public art
On a related subject, here’s a post about the aviation related public art at the Orbital Centre in North Swindon.
