Kamloops man died 100 years ago today in WWI battle

Jun 25, 2018 | 10:33 AM

KAMLOOPS — A Canadian Air Force pilot from Kamloops who died 100 years ago today (June 25) during a WWI battle will be honoured this week.

Norman Stuart Harper, who went by his middle name, signed up for the war effort in Kamloops and soon after was sent to Europe as part of the 231st Canadian Expeditionary Force.

While undergoing further training in England, he was transferred into 99 bomber squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps. (Canada did not yet have an air force.)

Later, Harper was in Squadron 99 when the decision to start the bombing of Germany in May of 1918 was made. He was shot down near Lahr, Germany on June 25, 1918.

According to the war registry at that time, he was involved in a bombing raid that morning and his plane was hit in the radiator during combat with seven enemy aircraft.

He was last seen west of the Rhine River and south of Strasbourg going down and being followed by five hostile airplanes.

According to Harper’s family, it wasn’t known until quite some time later that both Stuart, a lieutenant, and his gunner, 2 Lt. DG Benson of Aylmer, Ontario, both died on the day they were shot down.

Years later, in the late 1970s and1980s, historical research discovered the pair were some of the first wave to bomb Germany. As a result, a legion in Lahr now bears the name, “The DG Benson & NS Harper Legion.”

Norman Stuart Harper is now interred in the Niederzwehren Cemetery in Kassel, Germany.

This Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., the Kamloops Legion on Lansdowne will present a memorial plaque to honour Norman Stuart. It will be presented by his nephew Stuart.