5th August 1944

Supermarine SPITFIRE LF Mk IX
MJ454 (code SH-?)
Lézardrieux, "Mont du Trieux" (22)
(contributors : Serge Tilly (CERP 22), Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Conservatoire aéronautique de Cornouaille. Francois Cadic, Claude Hélias, Philippe Dufrasne)

Pilot :

photo © Auckland Museum

Flight Lieutenant Henry Joseph MEHARRY
No 64 SQN, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Grave : I. A. 2. HOTTOT-LES-BAGUES WAR CEMETERY

THE STORY
Henry Joseph MEHARRY was born in 1917 near Nelson, New Zealand. On August 5, 1944, he flew the Spitfire MJ454 during the attack of the 46^th Flotilla of minesweepers of the Kriegsmarine, leaving Saint-Malo for Brest. The aircrafts of No. 64 Sqn RAF were under intense fire from the guns placed on the banks of the river Trieux as well as from the Flak of the Kriegsmarine ships. One of the aircrafts was hit, flew away from the coast and the pilot bailed out. He was picked up by the Royal Navy. MEHARRY was also hit and crashed in the Trieux river near the Lost-Mor beacon. His body was not found until August 18 (note: a letter from the Prefecture of Cotes du Nord dated August 29, 1944 mentions "The first body is the New Zealand officer Moo " Meharry ", discovered on August 18, 1944 in the river "Le Trieux" at a place called "Le Moulin à Mer" in Lézardrieux). He was first buried in Lézardrieux at the same time as the FFI, the victims of Penvern en Paimpol. Then his body was transferred to Saint James (50). Once identified, he was exhumed and transferred to the British cemetery of Hottot-les-Bagues (14).

EVENING POST, VOLUME CXXXVIII, ISSUE 69, 19 SEPTEMBER 1944, PAGE 6

COMMEMORATIONS 

♦  15 August 2000 :
On Tuesday August 15, 2000, a stele with a shape of a Spitfire wing, created by sculptor Arnold KERIGUY, was unveiled in memory of Henry Joseph MEHARRY.

Photos © Comité pour l'Etude de la Résistance Populaire dans les Côtes d'Armor - M. Serge TILLY

Etaient présents ce jour là :
- l'attaché militaire de l'Ambassade de Nouvelle-Zélande, le Général R. OTTAWAY, le Commandant Geoff DICKSON de la Royal AIr Force, le Colonel JAZINSKY de la République Tchèque et des autorités militaires françaises
- la soeur Ena KNILL et la niéce Pamela FLENNIKEN d'Henry J. MEHARRY venues de Nouvelle-Zélande (entourées par deux militaires sur la photo).
- Monsieur René BIDAL, Sous-Préfet de Guingamp, Monsieur Alain GOURIOU, député, Monsieur Pierre-Yvon,TREMEL, Sénateur, Monsieur Alain JEZEQUEL, Maire de Lézardieux ainsi que d'autres maires locaux.
They were present that day :
- the military "attaché of the Embassy of New Zealand", General R. OTTAWAY, Commander Geoff DICKSON of the Royal Air Force, Colonel JAZINSKY of the Czech Republic and French military authorities
- Henry J. MEHARRY's sister Ena KNILL and niece Pamela FLENNIKEN from New Zealand (surrounded by two soldiers on the photo).
- Mr. René BIDAL, Deputy Prefect of Guingamp, Mr. Alain GOURIOU, deputy, Mr. Pierre-Yvon, TREMEL, Senator, Mr. Alain JEZEQUEL, Mayor of Lézardieux as well as other local mayors.

Photos © Comité pour l'Etude de la Résistance Populaire dans les Côtes d'Armor - M. Serge TILLY

We warmly thank Mr. Serge Tilly and the Committee for the Study of Resistance in the Côtes d'Armor for the information and photos.