Lancaster KB788 damaged by flak, landed at Carnaby airfield.
On the night of 30th November / 1st December 1944 the crew of this 431 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Duisburg and took off from Croft airfield at 16.37hrs. They released their bomb load at 20.09hrs from 17,000 feet but the aircraft sustained damage to the hydraulic system and both turrets. Despite the damage the crew were able to fly the aircraft back to Yorkshire but landed at the crash strip at Carnaby at 00.02hrs. After an inspection it was deemed that the damage was too severe to warrant a repair and it was written off. The 431 Squadron records do not list each crew by name during November 1944, this give only the pilot's name.
Pilot - F/Lt Reginald W Harrison RCAF (J/25826).
Crew - Names unknown.
Reginald Harrison and his original crew had an eventful time at 431 Squadron. On 6th July 1944 they crashed Halifax MZ657 at Croft that unfortunately seriously injured the bomb aimer, the aircraft caught fire and would exploded although the bomb aimerm, who was pulled clear, later died of his injuries. On 26th August 1944 they were flying Halifax MZ658 on an operational flight to Brest when they were diverted away to land, in trying to locate Silloth airfield they ran out of fuel and baled out. The aircraft crashed near Allendale, Northumberland. Harrison was posted to 64 Base on 12th September 1944 with four members of his original crew. 64 Base was Linton on Ouse. He was then posted back to 431 Squadron on 21st September 1944 but without at least three members of his old crew. Although he was posted back to 431 Squadron in September 1944 he did not fly operationally again until 30th November 1944 in Lancaster KB788. This was his last operational flight with them. He was posted to "R-Depot" on 23rd January 1945 which I believe is to be repatriated.