The Crew Arrives at RAF Peplow

At the start of August 1944, Ditson, Harris, Hicks, Kelleher, Nicol and Yemen - as yet unknown to each other - arrived at #83 Operational Training Unit at RAF Peplow, positioned midway between Liverpool and Birmingham, England.

On August 3^rd, Harris wrote home about his new base: “The food at the mess is decidedly better.  In fact, it’s good by any standard, and I don’t know how they do it.  This afternoon into a nice corner of a hut, and am getting straightened out once more.  This station is just as scattered as the last, and I am sure glad I have my bike, it saves me miles of walking a day.” (Unfortunately, this bike would be stolen on base just 12 days later) Though Harris didn’t know it yet, his daughter Betty was born just a few days prior to his letter, on July 31, 1944, which was also Harris’ 31^st birthday.

In his book ‘I Flew a Lancaster Bomber,’ Leo Richer writes the first order of business on arrival at Peplow was to crew up: “We were all assembled in a big room and told to sort ourselves out.”  Peter Coulter, the webmaster of the 550 Squadron website, similarly describes the process of ‘crewing up’:  “Crews seemed to generally ‘form up’ in the training units, sometimes in an entirely informal/casual manner. “Hi I’m a pilot and need a nav, you up for it? I know a good gunner, etc.”  This is exactly how my father-in-law’s crew formed up.[1]  Basically the air-force organised a gathering in a large shed, said “there you are – get on with it”, and closed the door and left them to it.  Someone recommended someone who knew someone else and so-on and before you knew it a crew was born.”

This process was likely how the Harris Crew formed up as well.  In the same letter on August 3^rd, Harris wrote: “You may be surprised to find me an experienced father when I get back (that happy day!), for I have a family of five to look after now.  They are grown-up, though, and are more like partners than dependents, but still I have to look after them.  A family of two or three will be easy after this - maybe!” 

Harris was referring to his new crew mates: Ditson, Harris, Hicks, Kelleher, Nicol and Yemen, although at 31 years of age, Harris was only two years older than Ditson and Yemen.  A few months previously, Harris wrote home “… there are times when I feel definitely old.  The fellows I am with are an exceptionally young lot…”

The crew was nearly complete: 

RCAF Sergeant Melvin Toman “Tom/Ditts” Ditson, the crew’s 29-year-old Mid Upper Air Gunner was born in Stayner, Ontario on February 20, 1915.  Ditson completed at least some of his training in Mt. Pleasant, PEI.

RCAF Flying Officer Robert Douglas “Bob” Harris, the Pilot, was born July 31, 1913 in Regina, Saskatchewan.  Harris’ training included schools in Brandon, Dauphin, Regina, Saskatoon and Maitland, Nova Scotia.  Harris turned 31 a few days before the crew came together.

RCAF Sergeant Douglas James Hicks, the crew’s Rear Air Gunner, was born December 1, 1925.  In August 1944, at 18 years of age, he was the youngest member of the crew.  No training details are available.

RAF Sergeant Gerard Patrick “Taffy” Kelleher, the crew’s Wireless Operator, was born on March 2, 1925 in Cardiff, Wales, making him 19 at the time the crew came together.  No training details are available.

RCAF Flying Officer Gordon James ‘Nick’ Nicol, the crew’s Air Bomber, was born October 17, 1922 in Vancouver, BC and in August 1944 was just short of his 22nd birthday.  Nicol’s training included schools in Dafoe, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

RCAF Flight Sergeant David Johnston Yemen, the crew’s 29-year-old navigator, was born February 12, 1915 in Theodore, Saskatchewan.  Yemen’s training included schools in Regina, Winnipeg and Virden, Manitoba.

 The crew was still missing a flight engineer.

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[1] Coulter’s father-in-law was F/Lt Cassidy DFC (RAAF), the navigator in S/Ldr Caldow’s crew and a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross.