James Pelly-Fry (original) (raw)

James Ernest Pelly-Fry, DSO (22 November 1911 – 6 December 1994) was an officer in the Royal Air Force. His war career alternated between flying in operational squadrons and serving as an aide for senior commanders. His many appointments gave him the opportunity to view the events of the European War from a command level as well as an operational level. Following the war he spent a brief amount of time as an airline pilot before returning to the RAF. He represented the RAF at a series of NATO conferences, where he formed valuable relationships with a number of national leaders. He had a lifelong interest in aeromodeling, and was a worldwide figure in that hobby. He is best known for leading the low-level daylight raid against the Philips plant in Eindhoven, known as Operation Oyster.