Harold Walter Harris Joseph was born in Prahran, Melbourne, on 26 June 1916, second son to Vera Rachael (née Harris) and Clifton Hyman Joseph. Clifton was a millinery manufacturer who, during the 1930s Great Depression, rebuilt his business as a manufacturer’s agent. Harold attended Scotch College from 1924 to 1932 and was in its Cadet Corps, following his older brother, Keith. Their youngest brother, Graham, also attended Scotch two years later.

Subsequently, Harold and Graham joined a militia unit that formed part of a coronation review for King George VI in 1937: see photo attached. Harold then went to England and by 1940 had enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, No. 956834, becoming a Leading Aircraftsman and commencing elementary flying school. At No. 5 Flying Training School, based at RAF Tern Hill, Shropshire, he undertook advanced training in a Miles M.9 Master. The British two-seat monoplane proved to be a fast, strong and fully aerobatic aircraft that was an excellent introduction to the high-performance, frontline British fighter aircraft of the day: the Spitfire and Hurricane. The Master was equipped to carry eight practice bombs, plus a .303-inch Vickers machine gun mounted in the front fuselage and, in a typical trainer configuration, during mid-flight the instructor was able to disconnect several of the student pilot's controls, such as the brakes.

On 17 December 1940, LAC ‘Under-Training Pilot’ Harold Joseph commenced take-off in Master N7591 at 0950 hours. According to the subsequent accident report, the aircraft’s wings had not been protected by frost covers during the previous cold winter night, resulting in a sluggish climb and then a side-slip into the ground adjacent to the airfield. The crash killed Harold, aged 24. He was the first of several Australian Jews to die as a result of flying accidents in WW II.

LAC U/T Pilot Harold Walter Harris Joseph of 5 FTS RAFVR was buried in Stoke-Upon-Tern (St Peter) Church Cemetery, Shropshire, England. His headstone is marked with a Star of David.

POSTSCRIPT

Four months before Harold died, his brother, Graham Joseph, enlisted in the RAAF in Melbourne on 20 August 1940. Graham trained in Australia, Canada and England. On 17 June 1943, during operations with 467 Sqn over Germany, Flying Officer Graham Joseph was killed, aged 25 (see his separate entry). Tragically, Clifton and Vera Joseph were thus doubly stricken, and their grave in Melbourne General Cemetery has a memorial plaque to their two flying, young sons: the first of five pairs of Australian Jewish brothers to Die on Service in WW II.

Clifton Australia remains a family-owned business, now as an umbrella company.