Sgt. Norris Mervyn Harrison
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve No. 76 Squadron
from:Colwick, Nottingham
(d.25th Apr 1944)
On the 24th/25th April 1944, P/O Dibbins and the rest of his crew climbed aboard Halifax III LK789 MP-L of No. 76 Squadron for the last time. Having just completed a briefing, the target that night was Karlsruhe, situated in southwest Germany. This was the crew’s 18th operation. At 22.09 hrs the bomber took off from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire. According to reports, bombing was scattered due to heavy cloud and a stronger than forecast wind, which pushed the Pathfinders off track. Flak was moderate and ineffective and, over the target area at least, no night fighters were encountered. However, on returning to friendly territory, the bombers were routed ‘up England’ and, due to the very real risk of collision, many flew with navigation lights on, having been briefed that no intruder activity was expected. This was not the case, as Halifax LK789 was engaged and shot down 20 km northeast of Cambridge by a Me410 flown by Leutnant Wolfgang Wenning of II./KG51. The bomber crashed in a field opposite Colony Farm near Welney, Norfolk, after the pilot tried to crash land. All of the crew, with the exception of the rear gunner, were killed. My uncle, Norris Harrison, known as Mervyn, was the mid-upper gunner on the aircraft and was just 19 years old when he lost his life. Crew:
- P/O. D.R Dibbins, Pilot RAFVR, age 21, killed
- Sgt. G.J Head, Fl/Engineer RAFVR, age 20, killed
- Sgt. K.C Oswald, Navigator RAFVR, age 22, killed
- F/Sgt. J.R Bathe, Bomb Aimer RAFVR, age 30, killed
- Sgt. J.G Davenport, W/Op/AG RAFVR, age 21, killed
- Sgt. N.M Harrison, Air Gunner RAFVR, age 19, killed
- F/Sgt. J. Anderson, Air Gunner RAFVR age 20, injured (he was rushed to RAF Ely hospital with a fractured femur and head injuries)
