This Is Your Life: Harry Day

Group Captain Harry DAY DSO, OBE, AM (1898-1977)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Harry Melville Arbuthnot Day, former British Army and RAF Officer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while walking with his wife near his home in Trevor Square in Kensington, London.

Harry, who was born in Borneo but educated at Haileybury College, joined the Royal Marines in 1916 and was awarded the Albert Medal for saving lives after the battleship HMS Britannia, on which he was serving during the First World War, was torpedoed. Having joined the Royal Air Force as a flying officer between the wars, he volunteered to carry out the first operational mission of 57 Squadron at the outbreak of the Second World War.

He was shot down and captured by the Germans, spending the remainder of the war as a prisoner interned in several camps, including Stalag Luft III. He was known as 'Happy Day' due to his positive outlook and 'King of the Escapers' due to his determination to escape the camps - finally succeeding on his ninth attempt. He returned to England as a hero and was the only prisoner of war to receive a Distinguished Service Order - awarded for his services while in captivity.

programme details...

Edition No: 172
Subject No: 173
Broadcast: Mon 27 Nov 1961
Broadcast time: 7.55-8.30pm
Recorded: Mon 23 Oct 1961 7.30pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 7
Edition: 9

on the guest list...

Rupert Davies
Justice Brown
Sqn Ldr Bill Simpson
Ronald Mogg
James Deans
Wg Cdr Bill Jennens
Paul Brickhill
Marcus Marsh
Wg Cdr Paddy Barthropp
Hermann Glemnitz
Capt Per Bergsland
Capt Peter Churchill
Toni Ducia
Mme Piwowarek
Evelyn Piwowarek
Bolo Piwowarek

production team...

Researcher: Alfred Draper
Writer: Wilfred Greatorex
Director: Yvonne Littlewood
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Military Life

saluting the armed forces

Rupert Davies

William Simpson

Photographs of Harry Day This Is Your Life

Series 7 subjects