Harding, Ronald William
Killed in Action 1944-11-21
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
ERNEST FRED AND BEATRICE HARDING, OF RUMNEY, CARDIFF.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
514 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Nil Obstare Potest Nothing can withstand
Base
RAF Waterbeach
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
1705084
Target
Homberg Germany
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Lancaster Mk.I PD265
Bombing Hamburg Germany 1944-November-21 to 1944-November-21
(B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Waterbeach
160 Lancasters of 3 Group to attack the oil refinery. 3 Lancasters lost.
The bombing was scattered at first but then became very concentrated, culminating, according to the Bomber Command report, in 'a vast sheet of yellow flame followed by black smoke rising to a great height'. This was a very satisfactory raid after several previous attempts by Bomber Command to destroy this oil refinery.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
514 Sqn (Nil Obstare Potest). Lancaster I aircraft PD 265 JI-G lost on a daylight operation against Homburg, Germany.
Approaching Rhein-Preussen synthetic oil plant with intention of bombing it. Hit by flak leading to catastrophic loss of control. Pilot and Navigator apparently baled out as aircraft disintegrated. Aircraft impacted waterway surrounding Moers Guildhall. Remaining crew fatally injured.(Aviation Safety Network)Those who perished were initially buried in Lohmannshelde Forest Cemetery. Reinterred 26 June 1947. (CWGC) Flying Officer KH Barker (RCAF), Sergeant PA Gosnold (RAF), Sergeant RW Harding (RAF), Flying Officer P Slater (RAF) and Sergeant LP Coles (RAF) were killed. Flying Officer GC France (RAF) and Flying Officer FJ Eisberg (RAF) survived and were taken Prisoner of War.
Lancaster PD265
Avro Lancaster
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.
The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia
Lancaster Bomber
Wikipedia 
Harold A Skaarup Web Page Lancaster PD265 Mk.I - Bombing Hamburg Germany - 1944-11-21 to 1944-11-21
6 Group Unavailable
160 Lancasters of 3 Group to attack the oil refinery. 3 Lancasters lost.
The bombing was scattered at first but then became very concentrated, culminating, according to the Bomber Command report, in 'a vast sheet of yellow flame followed by black smoke rising to a great height'. This was a very satisfactory raid after several previous attempts by Bomber Command to destroy this oil refinery.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
514 Sqn (Nil Obstare Potest). Lancaster I aircraft PD 265 JI-G lost on a daylight operation against Homburg, Germany.
Approaching Rhein-Preussen synthetic oil plant with intention of bombing it. Hit by flak leading to catastrophic loss of control. Pilot and Navigator apparently baled out as aircraft disintegrated. Aircraft impacted waterway surrounding Moers Guildhall. Remaining crew fatally injured.(Aviation Safety Network)Those who perished were initially buried in Lohmannshelde Forest Cemetery. Reinterred 26 June 1947. (CWGC) Flying Officer KH Barker (RCAF), Sergeant PA Gosnold (RAF), Sergeant RW Harding (RAF), Flying Officer P Slater (RAF) and Sergeant LP Coles (RAF) were killed. Flying Officer GC France (RAF) and Flying Officer FJ Eisberg (RAF) survived and were taken Prisoner of War.