This page will provide a sense of what it was like for Harry to be involved in daily bombing operations, and will give bombing reports for each day his crew was active. What kind of courage must it have taken for a young man 20 years of age to climb into a bomber, knowing the odds of returning safely were stacked against him?

The content of the daily report is provided courtesy of rcaf.com :

	Bombing operations begin for 434 Squadron and Harry's crew - a description of a typical bombing operation for crews flying from North Yorkshire. The Strain Of Operational Flying With Bomber Command - from "A Thousand Shall Fall" by Murray Peden DFC (originally published by Canada's Wings) courtesy Stoddart Publishing
August 22, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Briefed for small town near Cologne, Leverkusen - got to Knocke - engine went - had to return - jettisoned bombs and got back safely to own base
August 22, 1943	Bombing run on Leverkusen airborne at 9:15 PM - returned early due to technical failure
August 23, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Berlin - used borrowed kite - poor shape - compressor went - managed to get back on track - outer port failed again - managed to get to Emden - plenty of flak - over sea 3 hours to get rid of enough petrol to land - landed safely with full load of bombs - really bounced on landing
August 23, 1943	Bombing run on Berlin airborne at 10:40 PM - returned early due to technical failure
August 27, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Air tested our own kite. Four left out of our course of 16 - went to Nurnberg - hit target - fireworks all colours - no trouble in navigation - landed at base in South England (orders to do so) - some kites badly damaged - friend of pilot officer missing - came back next morning - weather difficult
August 27, 1943	Bombing run on Nurnberg - successful run
August 31, 1943	Start of Leave (7 days) spent with Grandparents in Norwich
September 6, 1943	Letter to EG from Mom & Dad Hansell
September 6, 1943	Photo of Harry and Grandma Hansell
September 6, 1943	End of Leave
September 15, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Montlucon - easy - rubber factory - saw huge columns of smoke rise - landed on south coast - weather too deep
September 15, 1943	Bombing run on Montlucon - successful run
September 22, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Hanover - successful trip - rubber works - huge fires - gave newspaper my name - hope folks don't get paper
September 22, 1943	Bombing run on Hanover - successful run
September 25, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Ops on - hope it's Berlin - ops scrubbed
September 26, 1943	Note from F/S Pedlar's diary (Navigator) Ops on again - hope we get away tonight - been ready twice, then scrubbed - 2nd dickie (pilot) with us
September 27, 1943	Bombing run on Hanover - 10 of 13 planes returned from successful runs Harry's crew doesn't return.
	"When the moment came, they were minded to resist and suffer rather than fly and save their lives; they ran away from the word of dishonour, but on the battle-field their feet stood fast, and in an instant, at the height of their fortune, they passed away from the scene, not of their own fear, but of their glory" - Pericles in ancient times, speaking of the defenders of Greek freedom