Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Memorial – Flight Sergeant Willard Melvin Haugen is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flight Sergeant Willard Melvin Haugen is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Grave Marker – Photo courtesy of Mike Allenby F.S. Haugen was Air Gunner on Lancaster HR 817 in 405 Squadron when it was shot down near Flensburg, Germany during a night attack on Pennemunde. The other crew members were: F.O. H. S. McIntyre, F.S.s D. C. Angus, W. E. Gimby, and three members of the RAF. (courtesy of They Shall Grow Not Old, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Man.) Previously, F.S. Haugen was a crew member on Halifax Mk II #JD174 in 408 Sqdn which crashed July 14, 1943. With 25-yr old pilot F/O Donald T Bain of the RCAF at the controls, the aircraft took off from Leeming at 00.09hrs on the 14th July 1943 for Ops to Aachen. Prior to the crew being able to drop their bomb load. they were attacked by an enemy fighter. This combat was serious enough to damage the aircrafts hydraulics which made it impossible for the bombs to be dropped. The pilot is believed to have shaken the attacking aircraft off. Whether the crew continued with the bomber stream over the target is not yet known but on their return to England they were again attacked and again the pilot's actions shook these aircraft off. On reaching the UK by now landing the aircraft was not going to be an option. When they crossed the Yorkshire coast and were making for base, the pilot ordered his crew to bail out of the aircraft; all did so without injury to themselves. The pilot is then thought to have directed the aircraft back in the direction of the coast and away from any areas of population before making good his escape. The aircraft crashed a short time later into Arden Woods, not far from Arden Hall near Hawnby where upon part of the bomb load exploded at 05.50hrs. Also on board were: P/O (BA) Philip J A Magson (killed Aug. 24, 1943), Sgt (WAG) George W Acorn (Killed Dec. 4, 1943), Sgt. (AG) John Irvin Labow (Killed March 31, 1944), and two members of the RAF. F. O Bain survived the war. (For full story see /www.allenby.info/aircraft/planes/43/jd174.html)