Thomas M. Harries

Lieutenant Thomas Montagu Harries (born 16 October 1888) was a Scottish World War I flying ace credited with 11 aerial victories. He was the second scoring ace using the Sopwith 1½ Strutter; he then also became an ace on the Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a.

World War I Harries was posted to No. 45 Squadron as an observer on Sopwith 1½ Strutter two-seater fighter aircraft, with the rank of corporal. On 9 May 1917, he was being piloted in Strutter serial number A963 when he used his gunnery skills to set a German Albatros D.III fighter afire in the sky west of Menin for his first victory. Three days later, he was credited with the capture of another Albatros, a reconnaissance aircraft, two miles east of Armentières. On 3 June, he destroyed another Albatros D.III southeast of Quesnoy. Then, on 7 July 1917, for his final victories in Strutter A963, he flamed an Albatros D.V and drove down two others out of control. On 8 August 1918, he resumed his winning ways, destroying an LVG reconnaissance plane over Meharicourt. Two days later, he joined Hilbert Bair, William C. Lambert and Wilfred Selwyn in driving down a Fokker D.VII out of control. On 19 August, he single-handedly drove another one down out of control over Fresnoy. On 30 August, he joined Bair and Horace Barton to share in the destruction of an Albatros reconnaissance two-seater, making Harries a double ace.

Harries remained in the Royal Air Force until 20 September 1919, at which time he was transferred to the unemployed list.