Maurice was born on 27 January 1919 in Whitechapel, London to Robert and Annie nee Freedman and he had a younger brother Myer (Mick) who was also killed serving in WW2 in 254 Squadron. Savage, Myer | The Jews of the RAF

Research is ongoing to find more information on the family. It is known that Maurice was married to Betty and in 1939 his parents lived 33 Cresswell Road, Twickenham where Robert worked as a furniture upholsterer.

Maurice was a wireless operator/air gunner on Lancaster PD216 which departed from RAF Spilsby on an operation to Darmstadt. The aircraft was shot down over Oberamstadt near Darmstadt by night fighter Ernest Wallner killing all the crew.

F/E, Leslie Percy Gower, 1894705
A/G, Hugh Graham Hamilton, 1568684
Pilot, Maurice Frederick Cleave Harding, 89808
A/B, Thomas John Jones, 1578097
A/G, Edward Kisilowsky, J/91061 RCAF
Nav, Stephen Simm, J/89268 RCAF

The aircraft was discovered in 2003 in a German farmer’s field and arrangements were made to excavate. Unfortunately the farmer declined permission due to previous amateur and unauthorised digs on his land. In 2007 attempts were again made by the German authorities but untrue newspaper reports stating the farmer wanted money for the dig were published causing the farmer to withdraw his permission. The graves only hold small fragments of the crew. The German EOD conducted a survey which shows all four engines and a large section of fuselage remain in the ground.