Many thanks to Howie Jones for submitting this story about his grandfather’s nephew. Howie served in the RAF as an Air Loadmaster on helicopters and latterly on the Hercules fleet.

13/14 May 1943 Downham Market 218 Sqn Stirling

Bombing mission to Bochum

Sgt Lancaster, aged 21, was the Flight Engineer on Stirling Mk1, BF413, ‘T’ of 218 Sqn on a bombing mission to Bochum with 13 other crews. This was his first operational mission. The aircraft was up at 01.15 and down at 04.45 with nothing reported other than “Duty carried out”.

As Sgt. Lancaster and another crewmember were approaching the Operations Building for debriefing they were hit by Stirling Mk3, BF480, ‘I’ of 218 Sqn.

The incident is described in ‘Strike Hard’, a book about Downham Market at war. The book describes that BF480 had been hit by flak over Bochum and managed to get back to Downham Market the following morning with great difficulty. Its up and down times are 00.25/04.55. ‘Strike Hard’ also has this from Sgt Len W J Durrant, mid-upper gunner on BF480:

“We made an almost normal approach despite the vibration which threatened to disintegrate the aircraft. On landing, however, the brakes failed and the aircraft swung off the runway, heading for the Operations Building. A few yards short of the building was an air-raid shelter and the Stirling seemed to run up the curved side of the shelter and then took off again before crashing into the side of the Operations building. One engine caught fire but was quickly extinguished. Apart from the expected cuts and bruises none of the crew suffered any injury.”

Harold is buried in the churchyard of St. Mary’s, Prestwich, Manchester. My wife and I visited the grave on 3 Nov 2020 and placed a cross of remembrance. As far as I know we are the only members of the family to serve as airman aircrew.

Acknowledgements: CWGC Website; RoE_AIR-27-1351-10_May43 (218 Sqn ORB); Strike hard – John B. Hilling.