Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (6089505 Sjt. P. J. Harman, Int. Corps.) extremely fine £140-180

Philip Harman was born on 29 September 1917 and worked as an Insurance Clerk. He lived in Oldbury. Worcestershire and on 23 March 1939 joined the Territorial Army. He was called up in 1939 and in 1940 was posted as a Searchlight Operator in the 4th Battalion Queens Royal Regiment (63rd Searchlight Regiment) stationed in Farnborough. On 4 December 1941 Philip Harman transferred to the Intelligence Corps and undertook specialist intelligence training at No 6 Intelligence School. On 10 February 1942 he was posted to 43 Wireless Intelligence Section (WIS) and on 1 June 1942 to 28 Wireless Intelligence Section. Both these Wireless Intelligence Sections were attached to Special Wireless Sections (SWS) manned by the Royal Signals. The role of the Intelligence Corps WIS was to direct the interception of enemy radio traffic to provide a bilingual capability and provide information to the Intelligence Staffs. On 22 December 1943 Philips moved to be part of the General Staff (Intelligence) Section at HQ 21st Army Group, which was commanded by General Montgomery and was responsible for co-ordinating the targeting of the various Sections and implementing Intelligence requests. They were known colloquially as the ‘Code Breaking Section’.

On 30 July 1944 Sergeant Harman crossed over to Normandy and was immediately engaged in deciphering German Panzer radio traffic in the Battle of Caen. Success followed success and on 2 August they intercepted a telegram from Hitler to General Von Klug ordering him to concentrate four Panzer divisions in the area of Mortain and to cut the road at Avranches. This Intelligence was passed to General Bradley and General Brereton and, in the subsequent pursuit to the Falaise Gap the Section produced a report ‘Compiled from direction finding and low grade traffic’ showing the location of every important unit in the Falaise Pocket. The Section moved forward through France and Belgium into Germany and produced intercepted intelligence in the battles of the Villars-Bocage, the Ardennes, Arnhem and the Crossing of the Rhine. At one stage they were assembled and addressed personally by General Horrocks who told them the valuable help that they had given him through intercepts, which had enabled him to win several big tank battles.

At the end of the War the SWS and WIS Sections were disbanded and Sergeant Philips was posted to 60 Field Security Section. The duties of 60 Field Security Section consisted of vetting potential local policemen before they were installed in their new jobs in Dortmund City and seeking out Nazis in the ‘Automatic Arrest category.’ Sgt Harman was discharged on 3 March 1946 and returned to live in Sanderstead Surrey.

He qualified for the Franco-Germany Star, the Defence Medal, War Medal and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal.