Harold George Day DEDMAN

Harold George Day DEDMAN Update Details

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DEDMAN, Harold George Day

Service Number:	415467
Enlisted:	6 November 1941
Last Rank:	Flying Officer
Last Unit:	No. 460 Squadron (RAAF)
Born:	Fremantle Western Australia , 13 April 1916
Home Town:	Subiaco, Nedlands, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	School Teacher
Died:	Flying Battle, adjacent to Binbrook Airfield. Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom, 16 December 1943, aged 27 years
Cemetery:	Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom Cambridge Grave 13914A Local Roll of Honour- Subiaco Western Australia , Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Flying Officer, 415467
6 Nov 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 415467, No. 4 Initial Training School Victor Harbor
6 Nov 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 415467
17 Mar 1943:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer
10 Jun 1943:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 415467, No. 460 Squadron (RAAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45

Help us honour Harold George Day Dedman's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Graham Padget

Flying Officer Harold George Day Dedman was the son of George and Alice Maude Dedman and husband of Enid Esther Dedman, of Subiaco Western Australia.

In a very difficult weather situation one experienced Lancaster crew JB657 (Flying Officer Dedman onboard as Bomb Aimer) was given permission to land but struck a tree during its approach and climbed into cloud again. After half an hour the captain called Binbrook on his radio-telephone set explaining that he was firing Very cartridges, but could not locate the airfield. Soon afterwards this Lancaster crashed into the bomb dump of an adjacent airfield killing all onboard.

All other pilots found the period spent circling the base on their return the most harassing part of the trip, for with petrol rapidly running out and the certainty that changed barometric pressure was giving a false reading on their altimeters they had to risk descending through the thick clouds and breaking clear to identify the airfield lights.

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