During the evening of 15th March 1944 this 431 Squadron aircraft that had undertaken an operational flight to bomb a target at Amiens. The flight appears to have gone without incident with the crew releasing their bomb load as ordered and they were able to bring the aircraft back to base and landed at Croft at 23.47hrs. As the aircraft slowed at the end of the runway an explosion tore the rear of the aircraft off and the front was left tipped up on it's nose on fire. Unknown to the crew a 500lb bomb had hung-up and was still in the bomb bay. The jolt on landing released it and it fell against the bomb bay doors detonating it. Sadly both air gunners were killed instantly as a result of this incident but all those in the front of the aircraft managed to escape serious injury. Many then acted as pall-bearers at the funeral's of the two crew on 18th March 1944. This Halifax was the last MkV aicraft to be written off by 431 Squadron. F/O Harrison was flying as a second pilot with this crew prior to beginning operational flying with his own crew. Halifax LL153 was damaged in the blast.
Air Gunner - P/O Lloyd Roger Barker RCAF (J/88605), aged 22, of Killdeer, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/C/16).
Air Gunner - P/O Irvine George Klein RCAF (J/86438), aged 21, of Esk, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/C/17).
Pilot - F/O Gerard Bernard Philbin RCAF (J/13999).
Second Pilot - F/O Reginald W Harrison RCAF (J/25886). Burns to left arm.
Flight Engineer - Sgt J I Roche RCAF (R/146207).
Navigator - F/O Albert Carnelley Brook RCAF (J/10422).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Thomas Edwin Lee RCAF (R/116821).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Leslie George Stamp RAFVR (171503).
Ken Cothliff has researched this crew, their service and eventual loss in great detail as his father was one of the original crew. His father was not on board at the time of this incident at Croft in March 1944 as he was sick, his place was taken by Sgt Roche. Ken's book "Under The Maple Leaf" is superb.
Lloyd Barker was born on 26th February 1922 at Willow Lake, Saskatcehewan, Canada and was the son of Brooks and Bertha (nee Johnson) Barker. As a young man he worked on the family farm at Killdeer, Saskatchewan. He enlisted for RCAF service on 4th September 1942 in Regina, Saskatchewan and after training he was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 9th July 1943. On arrival in the UK later in 1943 he was posted directly to 1664 HCU on 20th August 1943 and then to 431 Squadron on 26th September 1943. He would have been nearing the end of his Tour when he died. He appears to have received a backdated commission after his death, dated to 14th March 1944. His brother F/O Kenneth Hubert Barker RCAF (J/29701) was serving in the UK at the time and attended the funeral. Sadly Kenneth Barker was killed on 21st November 1944 while serving with 514 Squadron, he is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Irvine Klein was born on 5th August 1922 at Esk, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of George and Amelia (nee Kohler) Klein. Both his parents were born in Russia but emigrated to Canada. He worked as a tractor driver after leaving school. Irvine enlisted on 9th January 1942 in Saskatoon and after training in Canada he was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 23rd October 1942. On arrival in the UK in early 1943 he trained at 7 AGS and 22 OTU being posted to 428 Squadron on 26th May 1943. He was then posted to 432 Squadron on 26th June 1943 and then to 1664 HCU on 28th August 1943. Having converted to fly in the four engined bombers he was then posted to 431 Squadron on 26th September 1943.
Gerard Philbin completed twenty one operational flights with 431 Squadron before posting to 425 Squadron where he successfully flew a further five operational flights. Thomas Lee and Leslie Stamp also went with him and remained in his crew. On 5th August 1944 while flying Halifax LL594 on Ops to bomb a flying bomb site in France the aircraft was hit by flak and crashed in France killing six of the then crew. P/O Lee and F/O Stamp were two who died and are buried in Dieppe Canadian war Cemetery. Two other members of the then crew managed to bale out and survived, S/Ldr Philbin was one but sustained broken ribs and bones in both feet. He was still being held in a French hospital when he (and the crew of a USAAF B17) broke free with the help of French nationals. They eventually found their way to Allied lines and after treatment in a French field hospital was flown back to the UK. He was subsequently awarded the DFC Gazetted on 15th September 1944 and the citation refers to the fka incident recorded at the top of this page, it states "This officer has participated in many attacks on distant and well defended targets such as Berlin, Leipzig, Stuttgart and Essen. One night in November 1943, shortly after completing an attack on Berlin, the starboard outer engine of his aircraft failed and during the return flight damage from anti-aircraft fire was sustained. Despite this, Squadron Leader Philbin flew the aircraft safely to base. This officer has invariably displayed commendable courage and determination."
Albert Brook was awarded the DFC for service with 431 Squadron, Gazetted on 30th June 1944 for a Tour that began on 26th March 1943 and ended pretty much exactly a year later when he was posted to 22 OTU for instructional duties. He died in January 2010 in Winnipeg.
Reginald Harrison was initially treated at the sick quarters at Croft airfield but on 12th April 1944 he was transferred to the Basingstoke Neurological and Plastic Surgery Hospital. Three days later he was admitted to East Grinstead Hospital and became of the famous Guinea Pig patients.