Etwall and Burnaston Local History Society

WING COMMANDER NORMAN ROY HARBEN DFC

February 14th Derby Evening Telegraph. 

Wing Commander Roy Harben, Commanding Officer at Burnaston Aerodrome, died suddenly yesterday at the age of 49. His funeral, with full military honours, will take place at Etwall Church. He was one of the chief organisers of pre-war displays at Burnaston, and was in the process of organising an International Air Rally to be held there in July of this year. He was responsible for the training of about 7,000 pilots who passed through Burnaston during the War years.

He had been Managing Director of Derby Aero Club since its foundation.

As a young First World War pilot, with the rank of Captain, he had flown against the Germans, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his gallantry on the Western Front.

When Derby Corporation announced that they were going to build an aerodrome at Burnaston, Roy Harben was appointed manager. In June, 1939, Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, performed the opening ceremony three months before the Second World War began on September 3rd, 1939.

There was now a desperate need to train pilots for the R A F, and Captain Harben was accorded the rank of Wing Commander at Burnaston Aerodrome where he trained more than 7.000 pilots for the RAF.