"A Dog's Life" was a B-24 Liberator in the 2nd Air Division 458th heavy bomb group, 753rd bomber squadron, stationed at RAF Horsham St Faith, now known as Norwich airport.  The aircraft serial number was 44-40281.

Shannon's crew had only been assigned to the 753rd at Horsham less than two months earlier and in that time they flew ten missions into Germany.  Two of those missions were in "A Dog's Life".

Dreadful weather conditions in the early part of February 1945 saw many operational missions into Germany cancelled.  This offered an opportunity for training flights.  At about 12:40 on 13th February 1945, the Liberator "A Dog's Life" piloted by Lt. Lawrence R. Shannon took off from Horsham St Faith loaded with sand filled 500lb bombs and headed south.

A few minutes after take off, Shannon radioed the control tower reporting engine problems and a feathered propeller.  Lt. Shannon was cleared to land immediately.  The aircraft, at about 700 feet, turned left heading north east back to the runway.

At around 12:46, the left wing dropped completely and the aircraft began breaking up around the southern end of what is now known as the Deer Park, finally crashing into a house on the corner of Church Street and Spixworth Road in Old Catton.  A civilian lady living in the Church Street house suffered leg injuries.

Rick Rokicki, a gunner aboard the Liberator "Briney Marlin", was on leave that afternoon and was in the vicinity of Horsham St Faith airfield.  He gave an account stating that "one aircraft was only 800 feet high when I noticed he was trying to turn with two feathered propellers.  I said to my buddy, 'He'll never make the field'.  We cycled like mad but before we could reach the wreckage a fire-truck and other equipment were already there.  A guard group prevented anyone getting close.  One of the crew got out and walked towards the ambulance.  Everyone tried to get to him and tell him to lie down but he kept coming.  He died from delayed shock before they could get him to the ambulance".

All nine crew members of the Liberator died.

An official investigation was carried out by the USAAF, but because the aircraft was completely destroyed and none of the crew survived, no reason was ever given for the crash.  Below are the pages from the official crash report as well as a piece from the local Eastern Daily Press and a copied extract from the Civil Defence War Diary.  Page 5 of the crash report is of particular interest as it gives a hand-drawn view of the crash site.

Below are some photographs of the crash scene and of the aircraft "A Dog's Life".  Interestingly, if you look closely at the house on the corner of Church Street and Spixworth Road today, you can easily spot the replacement brick work.

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