Operation: Training Night Exercise

Date: November 8/9, 1944

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: PB556

Code: CF-J

Base: Kelstern

Location: LWT, Irish Sea

Pilot: 184362 P/O L.G. Harris (1)

Fl/Eng: 1822097 Sgt J.A. Sherrit (2)

Nav: 1295505 Sgt E.D. Wakefield (3)

Air/Bmr: 1585572 Sgt R.A.S. Scott (4)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: 1261850 Sgt D.J.D. Huggett (5)

Air/Gnr: 2211503 Sgt P. Connell (6)

Air/Gnr: 2210429 Sgt R. Glover (7)

INTRODUCTION:

P/O Harris and his crew were posted to 625 Squadron from 1668 C.U. on November 4, 1944. Sadly, of the seventy-four crews who failed to return or came to grief, they would hold the shortest of survival spans—five to six days. They would fail to return from a night cross-country training flight, lost without a trace over the Irish Sea.

REASON FOR LOSS/THE CHOP

Theo Boiten is confident this Lanc and her crew were not victims of a stray night intruder attack:

I can confirm that there is no German night fighter claim for the loss of PB556.

As a result we are left with speculation and statistics to explain the loss of PB556. This aircraft was almost fresh off the factory floor with no prior squadron postings and only two ops with 625 Squadron:

Essen 23/24.11.44 F/O Mattingley and crew u/e op
Bochum 4/5.11.44. F/O Fulbrook and crew u/e op

It is possible but unlikely that PB556 had sustained battle damage that had been overlooked by ground crew.

The fact that this aircraft and crew were lost without a trace on a four to five hour night cross-country/sea training exercise, suggests that there was no radio contact after departure. This brings to mind every instrument pilot’s nightmare, an electrical failure in IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) conditions, day or night. In essence the pilot is helpless without the ability to communicate or navigate to a safe landing. This is accompanied by a state of acute anxiety as suddenly the pilot, crew and aircraft life spans are reduced to the endurance time of the fuel in their tanks, plus a small margin to arrive at the earth’s surface. This scenario is vividly portrayed in Frederick Forsyth’s short ghost story, The Shepherd.

This scenario is at the top of the causal list for the loss of PB556— Geographical disorientation (lost), fuel starvation, ditching, drowning or hypothermia.

Next on the list would be a sudden catastrophic event due to weather or structural/mechanical failure. This loss occurred in the fall at night. Severe icing and turbulence due to flying unsuspectedly into a cumuli-nimbus cloud could result in loss of control in an unrecoverable spin or structural breakup due to structural limits being exceeded by extreme up and down drafts, at an airspeed above the maneuvering speed for type. This could happened so suddenly that P/O Harris may not have had time to throttle back or transmit a Mayday call.

With the loss of Lancaster LL956 we know an engine fire can reduce survival time to a mere six minutes.
https://aircrewremembered.com/hannah-lloyd-albert.html

In addition, the addendum on severe icing that accompanies the loss of Lancaster JB122, provides insight into just how quickly a four engine bomber can succumb to the sudden increase in weight and drag, due to loss of control and structural failure. Again, no chance for a Mayday call.
https://aircrewremembered.com/gallop-roy.html

One other factor to consider is sudden or subtle incapacitation of a critical crew member, in this case the pilot, navigator or wireless operator. It is conceivable that the loss of any of these crew members could have rendered PB556 incapable of returning to Base. Any medical condition that incapacitated one of these crew members from performing his duties would have been fatal for this crew. With this in mind, one situation comes to mind that applies only to the pilot, would be a bird strike. Birds do fly at night and a duck coming through the pilot’s windscreen would have the same effect as a 20mm cannon projectile. Instant loss of control and little time for a Mayday call.

CREW’S BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS:

1. P/O Leonard George Harris, age 22, was born on 1 December, 1921, the Son of Tom Harris (a Master Baker) and Florrie Harris nee Hankin.

In 1939 the family lived at 20 St Mary's Road, Ealing. He had one sibling:Frederick E. Harris born 1920.

Prior to joining the air force Leonard Harris was employed as a Clerk in an Engineers Office.

In 1943 he married Violet Nancy Harris, née Ebbs, at Brentford. Their son John L. Harris was born in 1944. They lived at 33 Lavington Road, Ealing, Middlesex.

He is commemorated on the Ealing War Memorial and the Runnymede Memorial Panel 211.

2. Sgt. James Alexander Sherrit, age 19, born in 1925 at Lunan, Angus, Scotland, the son of Edward Sherrit and Isabella S. Sherrit, née McKinnon later of Tayport, Fife. He had no known siblings.

Commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle Scotland, the City of Dundee Roll of Honour and the Runnymede Memorial Panel 237.

3. Sgt. Edmund Donald Wakefield, age 27, was born on 17 May, 1917 at Wandsworth, London, the son of Edmund Wakefield and Gwendoline Norah Wakefield, née Hall, later of Clapham, London. He had five siblings: Robert Wakefield born 1920, Patricia B. Wakefield born 1929 and 3 others (details unknown).

Prior to joining the air force Edmund Donald Wakefield was a Machine Hand at a Board Mills.

In 1939 the family lived at 16 Maycroft Avenue, Thurrock, Essex and later at 11 Gauden Road, Clapham.

He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 239.

4. Sgt. Robert Arthur Simpson Scott, age 24, was born at Kingston upon Thames, London, on 18 April, 1920, the son of Albert Victor Scott (a Carpenter and Joiner) and Margaret Scott, née Harris. He had six siblings: Oliver V. S. Scott born 1905, Charles James Scott born 1907, Edith Margaret S. Scott born 1910, Stanley W.S. Scott born 1911, Winifred V.S. Scott born 1913 and John E. S. Scott born 1923.

Prior to joining the air force Robert was a Motor Mechanic.

In 1939 the family lived at 6 Surbiton Hill Road, Surbiton, Surrey.

He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 237.

5. Sgt. Douglas John David Huggett, age 24, was born on 10 March, 1920 at Rochford, Essex, the son of Arthur Oswald Huggett (a Sorting Clerk- Postal and Telegraph) and Mary Huggett formerly Lloyd, née Sullivan. He had two siblings: Eileen Huggett (1924-2005) and Angela Mary Huggett (1932-2007) and a half sibling: Florence Margaret Lloy (1915-2006).

Prior to joining the air force Douglas was an Instrument Maker.

In 1939 the family lived at 155 Churchbury Lane, Enfield.

In 1944 he married Joy P. M. White at Chatham, Kent. They lived at Northfleet, Kent.

He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 231.

6. Sgt. Peter Connell, age 19, was born in 1925 at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, the son of James Connell (a Civil Servant) and Ethel Connell, née Dixon. He had three siblings: Joan E. Connell born 1916, Frederick J. Connell born 1918 and Mary Connell born 1922.

In 1939 the family lived at 34 Harrel Lane Barrow in Furness.

He is commemorated on the Barrow In Furness Cenotaph, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 227.

7. Sgt. Raymond Glover, age 19, was born on 11 July, 1925 at Swinton, Lancashire, the son of Abraham Glover (a Labourer - Railway Maintenance and Repair) and Mary Glover, née Quigley. He had three siblings: Joseph E. Glover born 1924, James D. Glover born 1928 and Doris Glover born 1930.

Prior to joining the air force Raymond was an Apprentice Joiner.

In 1939 the family lived at 15 Wordsworth Road, Swinton, Lancashire.

He is commemorated on the Swinton War memorial, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 230.

No photographs I'm afraid.

BURIAL DETAILS:

1. P/O Leonard George Harris is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 211.
2. Sgt James Alexander Sherrit is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 237.
3. Sgt Edmund Donald Wakefield is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 239.
4. Sgt R.A.S. Scott is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 237.
5. Sgt Douglas John David Huggett is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 231.
6. Sgt Peter Connell is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 227.
7. Sgt Raymond Glover is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 230.

DECORATION SUGGESTIONS by the author

After one and a half to two years of training this crew had honed their individual skills and were in the process of polishing their crew teamwork before their introductory second ‘dickey’ op. Sadly it was not to be. These keen volunteers would never get to experience the taste of raw adrenalin that comes with combat or the reality of not surviving thirty ops. They were all volunteers, two married and P/O Harris had an infant son. Lives lost at the prime with no chance to do it again. It is impossible to comprehend their final thoughts and desires to return home to their loved ones.

They all sacrificed their lives for King and country.

1. 184362 P/O L.G. Harris: DFC
2. 1822097 Sgt J.A. Sherrit: DFM
3. 1295505 Sgt E.D. Wakefield: DFM
4. 1585572 Sgt R.A.S. Scott: DFM
5. 1261850 Sgt D.J.D. Huggett: DFM
6. 2211503 Sgt P. Connell: DFM
7. 2210429 Sgt R. Glover: DFM

REFERENCES:

625 Squadron ORB
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles Number121: 625 Squadron, We Avenge.
Researched, Compiled and Written by Chris Ward
The Avro Lancaster by Francis K. Mason
CWGC Website
Theo Boiten Email

CO-AUTHORS:

John Naylor
Maureen Hicks
Roy Wilcock, Honorary Member 625 Squadron Project
Kelvin Youngs, Photo-editing

Submission by Jack Albrecht. We are most grateful to Roy for his diligent research for the Crew’s Biographical Details section. Unfortunately, we do not have a single crew photo. If relatives or readers have access to any photos they can be submitted to the HELP DESK for addition to this page.

06.11.2023 JA

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