Lancaster ED374 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On the night of 16th / 17th February 1943 the crew of this 101 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to Lorient and left Holme on Spalding Moor at 18.30hrs. While over the target area at around 20.50hrs and while flying at 11,000 feet the aircraft was struck from above by a heavy bomb which passed through the aircraft fuselage, damage was sustained to the controls. The rudder and elevator control was jammed and while the pilot had trouble keeping control he was able to bring the aircraft back to Yorkshire, on approach to land at base at 01.10hrs the aircraft crashed just short of the runway and caught fire. While six of the crew were able to exit the aircraft on their own accord the flight engineer was trapped and he was rescued by S/Ldr Geoffrey Fisher DFC and members of his air and ground crews who were in a nearby dispersal. Sadly his full identity is the only one not known in the crew list below.
S/Ldr Geoffrey Wilson O'Neill Fisher DFC RAF (42560) was awarded the OBE, P/O Farnham Hill DFC RAFVR (134661) was awarded the MBE, LAC Arthur George Miles RAF (1544738) and AC2 Herbert Fletcher RAF (1047210) were both awarded the BEM for their efforts in rescuing the trapped flight engineer. P/O Hill never flew on Ops with 101 Squadron after this incident and he may well have been injured himself. The notification of their awards was printed in the London Gazette on 14th May 1943 and the citation was a very long one, it reads...
"One night in February 1943, a bomber aircraft crashed in a field on return from an operational night during which damage had been sustained to the elevator controls. The aircraft broke in two at the rear of the mid-upper turret, and the whole wreckage caught fire. Five members of the crew were able to step out through the gap where the fracture took place, whilst the pilot escaped
through his window. Squadron Leader Fisher and Pilot Officer Hill, who had both landed in another aircraft just before the crash, having been on a sortie of 5.5 hours duration, were in the immediate vicinity and rushed to the aircraft. Aircraftman Fletcher, who was on duty with the airfield controller, and Leading Aircraftman Miles, who was engaged at a dispersal point some 100 yards away, also hurried to the scene. Aircraftman Fletcher was the first to arrive and he entered the fuselage, thinking that all members of the crew had been trapped therein. He was joined by Squadron Leader Fisher and Leading Aircraftman Miles, but owing to the intense heat, all were forced to retire. The flight engineer was then found hanging from the pilot's window and unable to move owing to a broken thigh. Aircraftman Fletcher climbed along the port wing in order to render assistance to him. Squadron Leader Fisher, Pilot Officer Hill and Leading Aircraftman Miles all helped, the work being directed by Squadron Leader Fisher. Despite the intense heat and the danger from exploding petrol tanks and ammunition they succeeded in extricating the flight engineer, who had been trapped in the pilot's cockpit. The initiative and heroic efforts displayed by these officers and airmen undoubtedly saved their comrade's life."
Lancaster ED374 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V.Roe & Co. Ltd. at Chadderton. After completion it was immediately taken on charge by 101 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 14th December 1942. As a result of the damage sustained on 17th February 1943 Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge the same day.
Pilot - P/O Howard George Harrower RCAF (J/16415), of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. Injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt S W Hughes. Injured.
Navigator? - Sgt Bernard Duff RAFVR (1239630).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Alfred Rideout RAF (798620), of Newfoundland.
Bomb Aimer? - Sgt Andrew William Todd Beveridge RAFVR (1340995).
Air Gunner - Sgt Terence Jenkins RAF (1314715).
Air Gunner - Sgt William David George O'Brien RAFVR (1323095).
"One night in February this officer's aircraft was hit by a heavy shell and severely damaged. By superb airmanship he flew the bomber back and effected a masterly crash landing, causing only minor injuries to himself and one member of the crew. At all times his devotion to duty has been worthy of the highest praise."
What he did until the end of the War is not fully known, he was initially posted to a Staff Pilot's training course. He died in November 2006.
Howard Harrower was born and was living in Moose Jaw when he enlisted in Regina, Saskatchewan in March 1941. He received his commission in 1942. He flew his first operational flight with 101 Squadron on 9th January 1943. After the incident recorded above he was slightly injured but recovered and returned to operational flying with 101 Squadron. he flew his next operational flight with them on 2nd April 1943. He completed his Tour with 101 Squadron and flew his last operational flight with them on 20th April 1943; completing 22 operational flights. For service with them he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 20th April 1943. The citation refers to the incident detailed above and reads..
On 20th March 1943 both Sgt Jenkins and Sgt Rideout were flying together in Lancaster ED446 on an airtest when the aircraft crashed onto the beach at Atwick, near Hornsea, East Yorkshire with the loss of the whole crew of eight. Sgt Rideout was buried locally in the RAF plot at Brandesburton Churchyard, Yorkshire. Sgt Jenkins was twenty two years old and is buried in Maesteg Cemetery, Glamorganshire.
Sgt O'Brien was killed on 9th April 1943 flying Ops to Duisburg in Lancaster ED618, his aircraft was attacked by a night fighter and exploded killing the whole crew. Bill Chorley reports in his Bomber Command Losses book entry for this incident that the exploding Lancaster damaged the attacking aircraft and killed Lt Kostler with both aircraft falling in Holland. Sgt O'Brien was twenty one years old and is buried in Doornspijk General Cemetery, Holland.
Sgt Duff was awarded the DFC for service with 101 Squadron, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. Sgt Beveridge was also awarded the DFC for service with 101 Squadron, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. By searching the internet for his name he may have been Australian. Nothing more is known about either men.