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Archive Report: Allied Forces

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440 (City of Ottawa) Squadron
24.12.1944 440 (City of Ottawa) Squadron, RCAF Typhoon Ib MN453 Fg Off. Charles F.J. Harwood

Operation: Armed Recce, Jülich - Neuss - Ahrweiler area in Germany

Date: 24th December 1944 (Sunday)

Unit No: 440 (City of Ottawa) Squadron, RCAF, 143 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: MN453

Code: I8:?

Base: ALG B-78 Eindhoven, Netherlands

Location: On the northern outskirts of Wahlen, Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. Charles Frederick Joseph Harwood J17954 RCAF Age 24. KiA

Above Fg Off. Harwood from his Service Record


185 Sqn, Spitfire Vb EP609, RAF Hal Far in Malta

On the 8th November 1942 Sgt. Harwood R52081, took off at 17:00 hrs on a Scramble. He encountered propeller pitch position problems and decided to land and as he was close to the field he lowered his wheels and turned to line up his approach. After lowering his wheels he noticed his propeller pitch was normal and decided to go around again. After raising his wheels a second time his engine lost power rapidly, consequently he lost what little height he had and crashed.

Sgt. Harwood was seriously injured suffering concussion, lacerations to his head and both knees, contusions of elbows and knees. He was disorientated after being stunned and was admitted to hospital for treatment.

Above: Fg Off. Harwood home on leave. Courtesy of The Windsor Star, dated 10th July 1944


REASON FOR LOSS

On the 24th December 1944 eight Typhoons, led by Wg Cdr. Grant, took off at 11:30 hrs from B-78 Eindhoven on an armed recce of the Jülich - Neuss - Ahrweiler area in Germany.

Wg Cdr. Frank George Grant DSO, DFC, J5056 RCAF, Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) Flying, 143 Wing. He used Typhoon Ib, RB205 “FGG” which was damaged by flak on Christmas day and was destroyed in the German New Year’s Day airfield attacks.

Fg Off. Roach returned early with mechanical issues with his Typhoon.

Fg Off. Lynn Arthur Roach J20951 RCAF.

Enroute over Aachen two Fw190s attacked the section with Wg Cdr. Grant claiming one enemy aircraft damaged. The section encountered heavy and light flak around Aachen.

While strafing a target at low level Fg Off. Harwood’s Typhoon was believed to have been hit by flak although none of his fellow pilots saw his aircraft being hit. An aircraft was seen to crash and explode on the ground which was believed to be Fg Off. Harwood’s Typhoon.

A Missing Research & Enquiry Unit (MREU) investigation determined that Fg Off. Harwood’s aircraft had crashed on the northern outskirts of Wahlen, some 58 km (36 mls) SW of Cologne (Köln).

The remains of Fg Off. Harwood were transported and buried at the Monastery in Steinfeld, just over 1½ km (1 ml) north of Wahlen. The Monastery later formed part of an Allied Military Government building.

Burial details:

Above: Grave marker for Fg Off. Charles Frederick Joseph Harwood (Courtesy of Des Philippet – FindAGrave)

Fg Off. Charles Frederick Joseph Harwood. Recovered and buried at the Rheinberg War Cemetery 14.D.6 on the 1st July 1947. Born on 2nd June 1919 in Windsor, Ontario. Son of Charles Henry and Mae Lily (née La Pierre) Harwood of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to this pilot and his family.

Other sources as quoted below:

RS 22.05.2023 - Initial upload

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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