Duncan Harvey

DUNCAN Harvey, who was in charge of emergency planning for North Yorkshire at a time when it was not well recognised as a subject which needed tackling, has died aged 77.

As County Council emergency planning officer between 1984 and 1995, he oversaw preparations for dealing with such events as floods and train crashes, as well as civil defence.

He was in charge at the time of the Dunkeswick air crash, between Harrogate and Leeds, with the loss of 12 lives on May 24, 1995, shortly before he retired.

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After the Lockerbie bombing in 1988, it was recognised nationally that the UK urgently needed better facilities to deal with victims of such events. In 1994 an exercise was held at RAF Linton-on-Ouse involving all agencies that would deal with the aftermath of a disaster, when everything was set up as though one had happened.

Months later he found himself involved in the real thing, when a Knight Air EMB-110 Bandierante aircraft crashed in a thunderstorm within minutes of taking off from Leeds Bradford Airport for Aberdeen, claiming the lives of nine passengers and three crew.

Mr Harvey was known for being meticulous in all he did, and regarded as firm but fair.

He was born in Mansfield and brought up in Derbyshire where he attended Heanor Grammar School.

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From there, he was awarded an Air Training Corps flying scholarship and went to the RAF College, Cranwell. He graduated 1955 in the General Duties Branch (Pilot) and had tours of duty on Meteor and Venom fighters in Germany, before being posted to Victor V - Bombers for five years. Subsequent flying duties were in command of an HS125 squadron and Canberra squadrons.

Interspersed with his flying duties were staff appointments at national and NATO headquarters, and as the British defence and air attache in Oslo.

As part of his professional development, he also attended the RAF Staff College and the National Defence College. He retired as a wing commander in 1984 to become county emergency planning officer with North Yorkshire County Council. During that time he served as adviser to the Association of County Councils

He lived in South Otterington where he was chairman of South Otterington School governors, but shortly before retirement moved to Thornton-le-Street, near Thirsk.

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He then served as vice-chairman (Air) of Yorkshire and Humberside Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve Association, deputy president of North Yorkshire British Red Cross, chairman of the Olive and Norman Field Charity, chairman of the Village Hall Committee at a time when refurbishment was needed and as a churchwarden.

With his wife Ann he worked for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association as district organiser and case worker. He was also president of Thirsk District Rotary Club in 2000-2001, and an active member for many years.

Mr Harvey is survived by his wife, four children and seven

grandchildren.