Lancaster ED321 damaged by enemy aircraft, landed at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On the night of 17th / 18th January 1943 this 101 Squadron Lancaster took off from Holme on Spalding Moor airfield at 16.30hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Berlin. The crew found that the primary target was obscured by cloud so the captain opted to head towards the secondary target of a Baltic port. En-route the Lancaster was attacked three times by a Bf110 night fighter which set fire to the starboard outer engine, holed a fuel tank and hit the rear part of the fuselage rendering both turrets unservicable but not before the rear gunner returned fire and shot it down in flames. The crew managed to put the fire out and jettisoned the bomb load. They made an early return to base, landing at Holme on Spalding Moor at 01.20 hrs. The pilot was given the award of an immediate DFC while the rear gunner received an immediate award of the DFM. The joint citation states..
"One night in January 1943, Flight Lieutenant Misselbrook and Sergeant Harrison were captain and rear gunner respectively of an aircraft which was attacked by an enemy fighter when near the north west coast of Germany. By skilfully out-manoeuvring the attacker, Flight Lieutenant Misselbrook enabled his rear gunner to shoot it
down from close range. Although his aircraft sustained much damage and one of its engines failed. Flight Lieutenant Misselbrook flew the aircraft back to this country and landed it safely. On a previous occasion he flew his damaged aircraft back to base in most trying circumstances. Both these members of aircraft crew have always displayed
outstanding determination and devotion to duty."
? - Sgt Frederick Parr RAF (570544).
? - P/O W H Farrell.
? - Sgt R C Elliott.
? - F/Sgt E N Wagner.
? - Sgt Donald Bertram Polden RAFVR (1321985).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Arthur Harrison RCAF (R/111540).
Pilot - F/Lt Theodore Dudley Misselbrook RAF (42353).
Lancaster ED321 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V. Roe and Co. Ltd. at Chadderton and was taken on charge by 101 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 1st December 1942. As a result of the damage sustained on 18th January 1943 Cat.A/FB appears to have been the initial damage assessment although this was upgraded to Cat.Ac/FB on 26th January 1943. It was repaired on site and was returned to 101 Squadron charge on 27th February 1943 but was re-coded "SR-E". On 21st April 1943 it received flak damage on Ops to Stettin that saw Cat.A(c)/FB be the damage assessment. It received damage to the port wing and flaps and to the fuselage under the mid-upper turret. The repair on site commenced on 26th April 1943 and it was returned to 101 Squadron on 22nd May 1943 but they had moved to Ludford Magna in the weeks it was unservicable. On 13th october 1943 it was transferred to 625 Squadron at Kelstern. On 4th November 1943 it failed to return from Osp to Dusseldorf that saw its seven man crew killed. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 30th November 1943 having clocked up a total of just over 371 flying hours.