Douglas M. M. Harris                                                                                  Updated: 03 FEB 2020

Airman: o888040.htm Surname: Harris Init: DMM Rank: Sgt Service: RAF Sqdn: 77

P_link: p302.htm Plane: HAL LL235 Operation: Minelaying Crash_site: Sea off Tranerodde

Crash_d: d230444 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

"I forbindelse med en minelægningsoperation natten til den 24. april 1944 nedstyrtede en Halifax ved Traner Odde på Als." (FAF)
Se Natligt luft-drama - -  og  Google Map p302 Halifax LL235.  

Nedstyrtningsstedet var her i havet 200 m fra mindestenen. Se informationstavlen og Flystyrt på Als, informationstavler og Gunnar Hounsgaard.
Med filer fra Gunnar Hounsgaard til seniorsergent L.Larsen, PISEK, Hærens Sergentskole, har forsvaret lavet hele informationstavlen sat op her. Zoom.
Mindestenen blev afsløret den 23. april 2005 her 150 m nordvest for Karlsmindevej 21, 6430 Nordborg. Se program med liste over besætningsmedlemmer.

6 flyvere blev dræbt. 2 blev begravet i Aabenraa, 1 i Faaborg, 1 i Assens og 2 har ingen kendt grav. 1 mand blev krigsfange.

"Haleskytten Sgt. D.M.M.Harris var heldig at blive reddet af en lokal fisker Chr. Hansen og Erik Agergaard efter at have ligget i vandet mere end en halv time. Sgt. Harris kom i tysk fangenskab og overlevede krigen. Hændelsen er beskrevet i Jydske Tidende den 30. april 1972. Sgt. Harris har besøgt stedet 10 år senere."
(informationstavlen) 7 flyvere.

"In connection with a minelaying operation on the night before 24 April, 1944 a Halifax crashed at Traner Odde on Als." (FAF)
See Drama in the Night - - and Google Map p302 Halifax LL235.

The crash site was here at sea 200 m from the memorial stone. See the information board and Air crashes on Als, information boards and Gunnar Hounsgaard.
With files from Gunnar Hounsgaard to SSG L.Larsen, PISEK, the Army NCO School the defence has made the complete information board placed here.  Zoom.
A memorial stone was unveiled on 23 April, 2005 here 150 m northwest of Karlsmindevej 21, DK-6430 Nordborg. See programme with list of the crew.

6 airmen perished. 2 were buried in Aabenraa, 1 in Faaborg, 1 in Assens og 2 have no known graves. 1 airman became a POW.

"The rear gunner Sgt D.M.M. Harris was lucky. He was saved by a local fisherman, Chr. Hansen and two other eyewitnesses after having spent more than half an hour in the cold water. An ambulance should bring him to the hospital in Soenderborg, but the Germans pulled up the ambulance and took Harris to the barracks in Soenderborg and he was later sent to a the prison camp Stalag Luft VI at Heydekrug in Germany." (information table)
"He survived the war and he has visited the area in 1982. See also Jydske Tidende 30 April 1972." (From the Danish version.)

No. 77 Squadron - Wikipedia* 77 Squadron Association*Halifax*Halifax-BC Museum.Canada* Halifax-RAF Museum * Halifax-The Yorkshire Air Museum*p302MACR
Halifax V LL235 KN-L took off from RAF Elvington at 21.00 hrs on 23 APR 1944. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.) Google Map 77 Squadron DK 7 airmen.
Halifax Mk III at YAM, 23 photos *49 airmen of 77 SQN: 23 buried in Denmark, 4 in Germany, 17 no known grave, 1 prisoner of war and 4 airmen evaded to Sweden.