At age 19, Reginald Harrison enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was looking for adventure away from the Saskatchewan farm where he grew up and he wanted to serve his country in the Second World War, just like most of the young men around him. By age 21, Reg was flying a Halifax aircraft out of the Croft air base in England, dropping bombs on the enemy forces in Germany and France.
Weighing only 118 pounds, Reg chose to sit on top of his parachute pack inside the aircraft to give himself a better view out the windows of the huge Halifax bomber. During one of his flights, the parachute nearly killed him - during the third of what would eventually become four crashes Reg survived during the war. Reg served our country and the Allied Forces well and, upon returning to Canada from the war, met his future wife through a fellow bomber pilot.
At almost 102 years old, Reg "Crash" Harrison recently shared some of the stories of his wartime experiences with members of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society at their national convention held at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
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| Almost 102-year-old Reginald "Crash" Harrison and author Deana J. Driver at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum for the national convention of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, June 22, 2024 |
It was an honour to address this group, which is the oldest and largest organization in the world dedicated to the celebration and documentation of Canada's flying heritage. And it is always a huge honour to sit beside Reg Harrison as he tells stories about his time in the RCAF.
It is always heartwarming to watch the reverence that people rightly have for this man who served in the war and survived four crashes and significant traumatic events. They, like me, have come to appreciate his remarkably clear memory of those events and how he can - at almost 102 years old - still share them with avid listeners.
I watch with gratitude as people line up to shake Reg's hand and have him autograph their copy of the Crash Harrison book. (I get to sign the books too, which is always nice. And Reg usually says something nice about me to whoever asks about how the book came to be. He and I mutually admire each other.)
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| 101-year-old Reg "Crash" Harrison and author Deana J Driver signing Crash Harrison books at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, June 22, 2024 - photo by John Chalmers, CAHS member |
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| CAHS delegate has Reg Harrison autograph the book, June 22, 2024 |
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| Another CAHS delegate chats with Reg "Crash" Harrison, June 22, 2024 |
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| This delegate to the CAHS convention and I were pleased to realize that she and I sing in the same community choir in Regina! |
During our presentation at the CAHS convention in the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum in June, I recorded these videos of Reg telling his stories:
WW2 bomber pilot tells how his parachute got caught as he bailed out in 1944
101-year-old WW2 bomber pilot had dangerous flights & landings in a Lancaster in 1944
101-year-old WW2 bomber pilot talks about his aircraft bailout in 1944 & being ever-grateful
After the presentation, an elderly man came up to our table and introduced himself. Dr. Robert Galway had a special story he wanted to tell me and Reg about how he also knew the doctor who performed the reconstructive surgery on Reg's arm during the war. What a wonderful serendipity!
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| Dr. Robert Galway meets Reg "Crash" Harrison in Saskatoon, June 22, 2024 |
I asked Dr. Galway if he would tell me the whole story so I could record it and share it. He was pleased to do that. Enjoy this remarkable interview...
A 101-year-old WW2 bomber pilot & a Canadian doctor share connections to the Guinea Pig Club
Reg and I say thank you to the Canadian Aviation Historical Society for the invitation to speak to the convention delegates. Thank you to the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum for hosting the event. Thank you to all those who attended, enjoyed the presentations, and purchased books.
As Reg says every time he talks about his stories, we must remember those who served and especially those who did not make it home from the war.
We must not forget.
My partner finished reading this book on our trip to Nfld. He thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it.
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