Crash-landing in the desert

My father, Robert Harding (2.2.1919-11.2.2010) was a Wellington bomber pilot in World War with the Royal Air Force.

Thanks to Colin Burningham, I recently received a new photograph of him, dating from March 1942.

Mr Burningham discovered my father had one lucky escape with 218 Squadron on 16 December 1941 when, as second pilot, the starboard engine failed - fortunately while still over England. Bob and the rest of the crew had to bail out while the captain successfully crash-landed the aircraft. Bob never talked about this.

This near-miss may have stood him in good stead for what happened later.

After some adventures, Bob ended up in Egypt but a flying mission over Tobruk, Libya, went wrong in August 1942.

Thanks to research in LXX Squadron archives by Flight Lieutenant Will Robinson, I now have the following information.

19/20 Aug... Again 8 a/c detailed for shipping at Tobruk... [aircraft] N. after sending out an S.O.S. at 23.28 force landed S. of Sollum. Although a bearing was obtained, no further information has been received, but it is hoped that the crew is still on the long trek home.
The crew was as follows: NZ.411445 Sgt King, P. J. - Captain. 1266930 Sgt. Harding, R. - 2nd Pilot. A.404604 P/O S. E. Thomson, Observer. 1064097 Sgt. Waterworth, A. - W/Optr. 1065772 Sgt. Rawson, F. - F.G. 1258272 Sgt. Garner, R. - R. G.

The crew all survived the crash-landing but were too far behind enemy lines. They then endured a perilous walk north to the coast where they met a German patrol.

This accident led to my father becoming prisoner of war in Africa, Italy and Germany. His book tells about this.

Tim Harding, 9 June 2010.

My father, Warrant Officer Pilot Robert Harding, soon after he got back to England in the summer of 1945.

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Picture of Bob with aircrew pals in 1942