Operation: Kiel, Germany

Date: 23rd/24th July 1944 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: 625 Sqn, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM174

Code: CF:P

Base: RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire

Location: 60 km (37¼ mls) west of the Island of Amrum, Germany

Pilot: Flt Lt. Hugh Raymond Harrison DFC, 110412 RAFVR Age 22. MiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Roy Joseph Davies 575723 RAF Age 21. MiA

Nav: Sgt. Harold Alexander Smith R154756 RCAF Age 32. MiA (2)

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Alfred James Newell 1565600 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Frank Alfred Powell 1603981 RAFVR Age 20. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Flt Sgt. Kenneth Welland Dewey R210865 RCAF Age 19. MiA (3)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Lorne Albert Morfoot R210350 RCAF Age 19. MiA (4)

Above: Sgt. Harold A. Smith, Flt Sgt. Kenneth W. Dewey, Flt Sgt. Lorne A. Morfoot (From their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 23rd/24th July 1944 the Sqn detailed eighteen (18) aircraft to join a force of six-hundred and twenty-nine (629) aircraft on an operation to bomb Kiel, the first major raid on the city for two (2) months.

The elaborate deception and RCM operations combined with the surprise returned to the city completely confused the German fighter force and only four (4) aircraft, all Lancasters, failed to return.

LM174 was the only Lancaster lost from the Sqn and was claimed by Fw. Wilhelm Morlock from 3./NJG1, his 9th Abschuss and 2nd of two (2) this night, over the sea 60 km west of the Island of Amrum at 5.200 m. at 02:10 hrs.(Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

Ofw. Morlock was KiA on the night of the 4th/5th November 1944 near Ibbenbüren, Westphalia when he was shot down by 239 Sqn Mosquito VI PZ245 HB:S flown by Flt Lt. Frank Clifford Young DFC, 67692 RAFVR and Flt Lt. Robert Hugh Siddons 80698 RAFVR. Ofw. Morlock was credited with nine (9) confirmed Abschüsse with a further nine (9) awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten).

(1) Acting Sqn Ldr. Hugh Raymond Harrison was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 55 Sqn. London Gazette 3rd March 1944.

His brother Flt Lt. Geoffrey Austin Harrision 60102 RAFVR was KiA on the 12th June 1944 when his 616 Sqn Spitfire VII MD121 collided with a Bf109 near Laval, France. He is buried at the La Pellerine Communal Cemetery in France.

(2) Sgt. Smith was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J89897 Plt Off. on the 22nd July 1944.

His brother, Lloyd B. Smith, was a Capt. at No. 70 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

(3) Flt Sgt. Dewey served with The Oxford Rifles CA (A), 2nd Perth Infantry Regiment as Rifleman A82149 between the 25th May 1942 and the 2nd January 1943 prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 3rd January 1943.

(4) Flt Sgt. Mofoot’s brother, Gordon Morfoot, served with the Royal Canadian Navy.

Burial Details:

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Flt Lt. Hugh Raymond Harrison DFC. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 202. Born on the 26th June 1922 in Leeds, Yorkshire. Son of George Geoffrey and Charlotte (née Coldwell) Harrison of Marino, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Sgt. Roy Joseph Davies. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 228. Born on the 16th July 1923 in Leicester, Leicestershire. Son of Thomas and Mary Ann (née Hyde) Davies of Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

Plt Off. Harold Alexander Smith. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 253. Born on the 7th November 1911 in Nashwaaksis, New Brunswick. Son of Harry Alexander and Lois Henrietta (née Johnson) Smith, of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Sgt. Alfred James Newell. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 235. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Son of Alfred and of Helen Isabelle F. Newell of Cardonald, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Scottish National War Memorial.

Sgt. Frank Alfred Powell. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 236. Born in 1st Qtr of 1924 in West Ham, Essex. Son of Frank and Florence Lucy (née Parmenter) Powell of West Ham, Essex, England.

Flt Sgt. Kenneth Welland Dewey. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 254. Born on the 18th October 1924 in St. Marys, Ontario. Son of Simeon Dewey, and of Maurine (née Ravelle) Dewey of Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Lorne Albert Morfoot. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 255. Born on the 28th August 1924 in Riverton, Manitoba. Son of Thomas Wesley and Minnie (née Nieman) Morfoot of Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (May 2025). Thanks to Geoff Hall for the correction to the name the brother to Sqn Ldr. Harrison (Jan 2026).

Other sources listed below:

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