The Association has learned of the death of Cdre Nicholas Richard Harris RN on 18 April 2022.
Taken from the Daily Telegraph
HARRIS Commodore Nicholas Richard RN passed away peacefully on the 18th April 2022. The funeral service will be held at 3pm at St Mary’s Church, Kersey, Suffolk on Thursday 5th May 2022.
Nick’s son Rupert writes:
Nick Harris was raised in South Africa and joined the General Botha Nautical College as a teenager to start a career at sea. From there Nick joined the Royal Navy and earned his wings in 1964. Flying was the happiest part of his working life. Perhaps no more so than up in Lossiemouth and then in Miramar, California where he was an instructor at Top Gun, when it was part of VF-121 Squadron, in the early Seventies. Back in the UK, Nick became Squadron Leader of 892 Squadron, the last of the Navy’s phantom squadrons. This coincided with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, during which 892 were part of the royal flypast over London. Sadly Nick developed a medical condition which meant he risked blacking out when he reached a particular altitude. This was a major blow and forced him to reorientate his naval career. Nonetheless he enjoyed a successful career at sea and on land, serving as XO of HMS Bristol during the Falklands War and as the Naval Attaché in Rome, before being promoted to Commodore. Nick died of dementia aged 80 on 18th April 2022. His children, Rupert, Jessica, Giles & Milly and partner Juliet will miss him dearly.
From Records
Nick was a Sea Vixen Pilot who also flew Hunters and was AWI in 764 Squadron
From Navy List Research
1996: No officer service
1995: Ministry of Defence, London
1994: As above
1993: As above
1992: As above
1991: As above
1990: Centurion Building, Grange Road, Gosport, Hants
1989: Naval Attache Rome
1988: Service Attache, Rome
1987: Ministry of Defence, London
1986: As above
1985: Royal College of Defence Studies, 37 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NS
1984: As above
1983: HMS BRISTOL (D23) Destroyer 6100 tons
1982: As above
1981: Director of Naval Manpower Planning
1980: As above
1979: Royal Naval Presentation Team, RAF Northolt, Ruislip HA 6NR
1978: HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset
1977: Director of Naval Air Warfare
1976: As above
1975: As above
1974: As above
1973: HMS VICTORY, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth
1972: HMS SAKER Royal Naval Base, Arlington, Virginia USA