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ST EDWARD’S
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V A L E T E
Grapple”, the British H-bomb
trials in 1957 and 1958;
originally conceived as a long-
range navigation aid for the
Valiant bombers, Shackleton
reconnaissance aircraft and
surface ships, this Decca chain
gained the confidence of the
bomber crews so greatly that
it came to be used as a primary
bombing aid.
After returning from the
Pacific, Peter was invited to re-
join what had by now become
Elliott-Automation, where
he worked under W “Roy”
Thomas, and subsequently
Peter Mariner, and was soon
given responsibility for forming
an after-sales service division
for EA Radar Systems. Here
he successfully managed the
progressive UK modernisation
of the WW2-vintage US-
designed Airborne Early
Warning radar installed in the
Fleet Air Arm’s Gannet aircraft
and later in RAF Shackletons
until the late 1980s. After a
succession of industrial mergers
with Marconi and GEC he
was appointed to manage
the division of GECMarconi
bidding for the MOD contracts
for development of the UK’s
Airborne Early Warning radar
system and the main radar for
the Tornado air defence fighter.
When both these projects
came to fruition simultaneously,
and the company had to
undergo major and rapid
expansion, he was promoted
to Assistant General Manager,
and tasked to set up and
manage new establishments
in Hertfordshire and then at
Milton Keynes. He was elected
a Member of the Institution of
Electrical Engineers in 1961,
and a Fellow in 1970. Invited
to chair the Committee of
the Hatfield Branch of the
Institution in 1979 to 1980, he
subsequently served on the
Committee of the Bedfordshire
and Hertfordshire Centre from
its formation in 1980 until 1985.
After taking early retirement
from GEC in 1989, he joined
the Management Board of
Princess Marina House, the
RAF Benevolent Fund’s flagship
residential and convalescent
home in West Sussex, and
remained on its renamed
Advisory Board until 2005.
His interest in aviation
had continued unabated
throughout this career in
industry. Commissioned in the
RAFVR on graduating from
Birmingham, he spent most of
his weekends at Reserve Flying
Schools, until he went overseas
in 1955. Early in 1960 he was
amongst the first officers
to join the newly-formed
No.1 Maritime Headquarters
Unit of the Royal Auxiliary
Air Force, firstly as a signals
officer and later working in the
NATO Intelligence cell at the
Northwood Headquarters.
He rose steadily through the
unit, which he commanded
from 1972, in the rank of Wing
Commander, until his service
ended in 1978. In 1982 he was
invited to return, promoted to
Group Captain, and took up
the appointment of Inspector
RAuxAF, a post which at
that time was unpaid in spite
of requiring weekly visits to
the Ministry of Defence, the
dedication of most evenings
to correspondence, and
weekends to unit and squadron
visits, which he undertook as
well as meeting the demands
of a growing family and a
responsible post in GEC.
Together with two successive
Honorary Inspectors-General,
Air Commodore Sir Peter
Vanneck and Air Chief Marshal
Sir John Barraclough, he was
to oversee an expansion from
five to sixteen units before he
retired again in 1988. As OC 1
MHU he had been a member
of the Greater London TAVRA,
in which he subsequently
served as a Selected Air
Force Member, becoming
Vice-Chairman (air) from
1988 until1993. As Inspector
RAuxAF he was an ex-officio
member of the Councils of the
National Rifle Association and
the Reserve Forces Association.
He was an ADC to HM The
Queen from 1984 to 1988, and
a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater
London from 1986 to 1998. He
became a Freeman of the City
of London and was elected a
Liveryman of the Guild of Air
Pilots and Air Navigators. He
became a holder of the Air
Efficiency Award in 1961, and
was awarded a clasp in 1971;
he was awarded the Silver
Jubilee Medal in 1977, and
appointed CBE in 1988.
Maintaining his enthusiasm
for the Reserve Forces, Group
Captain Harris was invited to
join the NATO Grand Priory
of the Order of the Temple
of Jerusalem, the Knight
Templars, in 1996 and in 1998
was elevated to the rank of
Commander in the Order,
serving as the secretary and
treasurer of the UK Priory. He
was further elevated to the
rank of Grand Officer in 2003,
and served as Grand Chancellor
of the NATO Grand Priory of
the Order in 2005-6. In 2015
he was elevated to the rank
of Grand Cross, and served as
Prior of the UK Grand Priory.
His wife, (Yvonne) Patricia
Stone, whom he married
in 1955, died in 2003; he
is survived by their two
daughters.
HAYDOCK
– In July 2016,
Roger David Haydock (A,
1950-1955), brother of
Peter (A, 1961-1966) and
O B I T U A R I E S
Jonathan Haydock (A, 1966-
1971), grandfather of Ella (J,
2010-2015) and Jamie Smith (F,
2010-2015). His son Andrew
has kindly provided the following
obituary:
David was at St Edward’s
from 1950 to 1955 the first of
three Haydock brothers who
all went to Cowell’s. He was
part of a strong contingent from
The Leas School, Hoylake and
was much liked by everyone
for his friendliness, openness,
humour and fairness to others.
David had a huge sense of drive
and purpose. He would have
loved to have been a successful
sportsman, but his asthma held
him back.
He rose steadily through
the Cowell’s hierarchy and was
made a House Prefect for his
last year. The Housemaster
was Pat Brims, who would
take lunch with the boys each
Wednesday. He always arrived
at table several minutes late.
The menu on this day was
always beef stew, so before his
arrival, everyone on his table
collected the nastiest pieces
of fat and gristle and put them
on his plate. Poor Brims had to
eat and pretend to enjoy this
horrible serving as an example
to everyone. It was a cause of
extreme hilarity for all except the
poor victim. David throughout
his life has had a strong faith and
Chapel was important to him,
but like everything else in school
life, there was a lighter side.
The length of Sung Eucharist
on Sundays was always timed
according to the different
Chaplains. The winner by a long
chalk was Jack Straw (Rev T
B Williams) who managed to
complete the service, hymns and
all, in under half an hour.
School life after the end of
A Levels became much more
relaxed. The summer of 1955
was warm and sunny, so time