206515 F/O Charles Harrison Royal Air Force 460 Squadron from:27 Elsiemaud Road, Crofton Park, London (d.28th May 1943) Charles Harrison was my mum's brother and volunteered to join up in 1940. He sailed on the Queen Mary to America where he did his pilot training. On returning home he was posted to Binbrook and flew Lancaster Bombers. We believe his last mission was in 1943, when he flew to Essen and that on the way home, his Lancaster was attacked by German fighters. Charlie and four of his crew were killed and are buried in Uden, Holland.
After the war, Charlie's family was visited by one of the Australian crew members who escaped the crash and was captured. He said that when their aircraft was hit, Charlie gave the order to jump, but remained in the aircraft to check if the rear gunner was OK. Apparently, when Charles finally jumped, his parachute opened but the explosion of the aircraft killed him. When the crewman found Charlie, he was dead, but didn't have a mark on him.
My mum has wondered over the years if he told them this out of kindness, or if it was really true. We would love to learn more. Charlie would have been 21, the month after he died.
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