The Association has learned of the death of Capt Harold James (Jimmy) Abraham RN on 18 June 2022 aged 99.
EULOGY written by Rosemary Hogg
CAPTAIN HAROLD JAMES ABRAHAM RN.
James Abraham was a highly skilled Fleet Air Arm officer in the Royal Navy for 37 years. These were years that saw enormous changes in the development of aircraft and aircraft carriers.
In 1941 during World War 2, only 18 years old, James joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy as a young naval airman. He went straight into flying Swordfish bi-planes, as an observer and then a pilot.
He was involved in flying and protecting Arctic convoys. This highly dangerous work involved great skill and his bravery was impressive.
As aircraft improved into jets and landing on aircraft carriers developed, so did his skills. He lead squadrons and trained other young pilots. Then after the war he became a naval test pilot. He trained in the USA and tested new aircraft at Vickers Armstrong.
Serving on many aircraft carriers, such as Triumph, Eagle and Centaur, he saw the development of angled decks which greatly improved safety. James experienced various challenges of ejecting from planes, ditching in the sea and heroic rescues. He remained cool headed and meticulous throughout his service. His exemplary procedures for survival were used in the future training of pilots.
He almost certainly saved many lives.
Recently a 92 year-old former naval pilot who had been trained by James spoke of the respect that those in the Navy felt for Captain Abraham. “He was a superb commanding officer… a great leader… and he had high standards.
“He was very disciplined, firm and fair… very good at coaching his young pilots … and he brought out the best in people”.
James brought out the best in people by both delegating and trusting them to succeed. Notably he was one of the first commanding officers to encourage Wrens to become air mechanics working on the maintenance of aircraft.
James continued in his successful career, including his time at Staff College, six enjoyable months in Rome, and the Ministry of Defence, and NATO. One of the highlights of his career was his appointment as the Naval Defence Attaché in Tokyo, Japan.
His final appointment in 1975 was to be Commanding Officer of the large Royal Naval Air Station at Yeovilton, Somerset. During these latter appointments he was ably accompanied by my mother Anne.
When James retired from the Navy in 1977 he continued to use his management skills by running the Glen Moriston Estate in Scotland for many years before settling back in Norfolk.
From Records (adapted from Jeff Powell’s words)
Jimmy served from 1941 – 1978
He joined the Navy in 1941 to train as an Observer carrying out initial training at St Vincent, Gosport then on to No. 48 ‘O’ Course at the Observer School, Arbroath.
He was commissioned as a Midshipman (A) RNVR in March 1942 shortly before joining 825 Squadron.
Together with 802 and 833 Squadrons they embarked in the escort carrier Avenger and were assigned to escort convoy PQ18 to North Russia. 16 U-boats were sighted and 6 attacked. Jimmy and his pilot ‘Taffy’ Evans put down two U-boats on 13 Sep 42 and another two on 14 Sep 42. On return to Scapa Flow on 24 Sep 42 Avenger disembarked her squadrons.
Jimmy was promoted Actg Sub Lt (A) RNVR on 14 Sep 42.
825 Squadron then carried out mine-laying operations in the Channel under Coastal Command control until Feb 43 and after leaving the squadron at the beginning of March 1943, he joined 784 Squadron for the night fighter course based at RAF Drem flying Fulmars, Chesapeakes and Ansons.
On 14 Mar 43 he was promoted to Sub Lt (A) RNVR.
In May 1943 he joined 810, the first operational Barracuda II squadron, which embarked in Illustrious for work-up. They carried out operations off the Norwegian coast before replacing Indomitable in Force H. Having taken part in Operation Avalanche, the ship returned to the Clyde and disembarked the squadron to Crail.
In November Jimmy returned to 784 NAS at Drem as a night fighter instructor. In early 1944 he was attached to 835 squadron as a member of B3 night fighter flight of 3 Fulmars, which were embarked in Nairana for Gibraltar convoy escorts before returning to 784 squadron at Drem.
Between June and August 1944 he was attached to 813 squadron in Campania covering various Gibraltar convoys and on 30 Aug 44 he again embarked Campania but this time sailing from Scapa Flow as part of the escort convoy JW60 to North Russia. On the return journey covering RA60, Swordfish ‘F’ of 813 squadron sank one of the 12 U-boats deployed against them.
On 1 Oct 44 he was promoted to Lieutenant (A) RNVR.
On 22 Oct 44 he joined the destroyer Serapis forming part of the escort of convoy JW61 to Kola inlet, returning with RA61 to the Clyde. Apparently this general service time was to give him a rest from flying. He returned to Drem and 784 Squadron in December 44 and remained there until February 1945.
On 1 Feb 45 he joined 1790 squadron equipped with 12 Firefly NF1s fitted with ASH radar and in June they embarked in Vindex for passage to Australia, with the war ending two weeks after they arrived in Sydney. The squadron was ashore at Schofields until embarking in Implacable for exercises with the newly formed RAN Fleet Air Arm. The ship returned to the UK and the squadron disbanded on 3 Jun 46, but not before Jimmy had been awarded his Sea Watchkeeping Certificate.
He applied to train as a pilot so that he could qualify as an (F) officer – trained as both observer and pilot. In July 1946 he joined RAF Clyffe Pypard for grading on Tiger Moths to establish his suitability for pilot training, which was proven by him going solo. Before starting his pilot training, he attended the Senior Officers Admin Course (SOAC) at Yeovilton. His pilot training was carried out up to ‘Wings’ standard with the RAF, followed by operational and deck landing training with the Navy.
In July 1948 Jimmy joined 800 squadron at Hal Far, embarking in Triumph with the 13th CAG and remained with the Med Fleet until they returned home in March 1949 to re-equip with Seafire Mk 47s. They re-embarked in Triumph before sailing to the Far East, where they carried out strikes against communist terrorists in Malaya. On 5 May 1949 Jimmy changed to the Executive Branch of the RN, losing the (A).
Three replacement pilots joined 800 sqn in March 1950 and three operational pilots including Jimmy returned to the UK by troopship. Telegrams awaited their arrival inviting them to report to Culdrose for refresher flying as their three replacements had been unable to deck-land the Seafire 47.
The Korean War broke out during the refresher course so the three experienced pilots were flown back to Japan. They were hoisted on board Triumph in Sasebo by crane and wire net. 800 continued Korean operations until they withdrew from the combat area in September 1950 and returned to the UK. On arrival in Portsmouth on 10 November 1950, the squadron disbanded.
January to July 1951 was the Air Weapons Officer Course at St Merryn and Culdrose, then on 12 July 1951 he was appointed CO of 738 squadron (Sea Furies) at the Naval Air Ground Attack School at Culdrose. 736 squadron disbanded in August 1952 handing all their Sea Furies to 738 squadron, who took on all piston-engined fighter and ground attack training. They worked as two flights with Jimmy in overall command. He was promoted Lt Cdr on 1 October 1952 and led the squadron on the Coronation Review Fly Past over the Solent, before relinquishing command on 31 June 1953.
He spent the next few months in the sloop Fleetwood doing some General Service time before re-forming 810 squadron at Ford in February 1954. The ground attack squadron, with 12 Sea Fury FB11s embarked in Centaur in July to work-up in the Med. The squadron flew home from Hal Far in March 1955 disbanding on arrival.
He trained as a test pilot with theoretical training at RNC Greenwich, followed by practical training at A & AEE Boscombe Down.
In July 1956 he headed to the Naval Air Test Centre, Patuxent River, USA, where he passed his Test Pilot Course with ease. He was due to stay in the USA on an exchange posting, but the Franco-British action at Suez enraged the Americans who sent all British personnel on exchange back to the UK.
On return he was attached to Vickers Armstrong at Wisley as test pilot for Scimitar evaluation. On 14 October 1957 he started to take off from Wisley in Scimitar XD212 for CA release trials. He had to abort take off when he experienced no response to the stick (it went solid) just at lift off. The aircraft overran the runway, struck a pole and the nose wheel was torn off and the mainplanes damaged. The aircraft carried on across the road off the A3, fortunately without encountering any traffic at that moment, and slithered into a field.
In January 1958 he joined Eagle as Lt Cdr (F) and she sailed to the Med, where they took part in exercise Dawn Breeze, as well as taking part in operations to land troops in Jordan following a coup in Iraq and a combined exercise with the Libyan Army. The ship returned to the UK in December for leave and was back in the Med in January 1959. Exercise Dawn Breeze took place in March and April then the ship returned to the UK where Jimmy left in May.
He was promoted Commander on 30 June 1959 after he had been appointed to Yeovilton on the staff of Flag Officer Flying Training.
In 1961 and 62 on the staff of FOAC he served in Hermes, Victorious and Ark Royal during that appointment.
In March 1963 he moved to the Naval Staff in the Gunnery Division, MoD (N), then in 1965 was appointed to the staff of FONAC at Daedalus.
1966 – February 1969 was spent as a member of the Directing Staff at the RN Staff College at Greenwich. He was promoted to Captain on 31 December 1968.
He was appointed as the Naval & Air Attaché Tokyo and Seoul from December 1969 – September 1972, then spent time completing a NATO course in Rome until March 1973.
From there he joined the Plans Division of the MoD (Navy) as AD N Plans (N).
November 1975 to October 1977 saw him at Heron in command and as Flag Captain to FONAC, being appointed as Naval ADC to HM the Queen on 7 January 1977.
On 7 January 1978 he retired from the Active List.
From References *
Whilst flying unidentified Seafire of 800 Squadron, Triumph on 4.11.48, during an attack on USS Franklin D Roosevelt, the engine cut at 15000ft and ditched in the Mediterranean. Lt H J Abraham picked up by US destroyer Small and transferred to USS Franklin D Roosevelt.
Whilst flying Seafire VP458 of 800 Squadron, Triumph on 1 December 1949, the engine cut at 5000ft, the pilot baled out OK and the aircraft crashed.
*Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946 by Ray Sturtivant, Mick Burrow & Lee Howard