Town to remember airmen who saved it from disaster

The Lancaster Bomber LM258 suffered damage during a mission in France before crashing near Felixstowe on its return

A commemorative event will mark the 80th anniversary of when a group of young airmen saved a town from a potential disaster.

On 25 August, 1944, the Lancaster Bomber LM258 came under fire during a critical mission over France and was unable to maintain height as it flew back to England.

While approaching Felixstowe, in Suffolk, the crew realised they would crash and flew the plane over the nearby sea before it plunged into the waves.

Felixstowe Town Council, in collaboration with Felixstowe Museum, will mark the men's sacrifice at an event on Sunday at 12:00 BST on the steps of the Town Hall.

On the day of the incident, the Lancaster Bomber took off from RAF Methwold, in Norfolk, at 18:55 BST to strike a V-1 Flying Bomb site in Vincly, France.

Seven men were on board when the aircraft was struck by enemy flak near St Omer on its return journey.

At 21:15, East Suffolk Police received reports of the plane approaching Felixstowe at a dangerously low altitude.

The crew had been attempting to reach RAF Woodbridge's Emergency Landing Ground but had suffered two failed engines.

"The crew were left with the very difficult choice of either landing on Felixstowe literally or ditching it into the seas," David Rowe, the mayor of Felixstowe, told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"They bravely ditched the Lancaster into the sea and all seven crew were lost in that heroic act."

All the men's bodies were eventually recovered over the following month. The men who lost their lives were:

• Sgt Angus Craig, 19, the rear gunner

• Sgt George Covell, 20, the mid-upper gunner

• Flying officer Charles Byce Oxenham, 20, of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the bomb aimer

• Sgt William Augustus Dyer, 20, the navigator

• Flt Lt Doug Harris, 25, the pilot

• Flt Sgt Ernest George Murray, 26, the wireless operator

• Flying officer Davies Mathias, 25, the flight engineer

'Gave their lives'

During Sunday's event, Mr Rowe will read the original letter of condolence, while Sharon Harkin, chair of Felixstowe Museum, will share a letter of response from Matilda Dyer, the mother of Sgt William Augustus Dyer.

Relatives of flying officer Oxenham are expected to attend.

Richard Whitehead, his great nephew, said their family was "incredibly moved" that Felixstowe had continued to remember their relative.

"We are very grateful to the town for keeping their story alive so that it can be passed down to current future generations as we remember all those who gave their lives in the conflict," he added.

Felixstowe Museum will host a special exhibition dedicated to the Bomber and its crew running from Sunday for two weeks.

Mr Rowe said it was important the town remembered these men.

"It's important that towns don't lose their history," he explained.

"This is particularly pertinent to Felixstowe because these RAF officers had they not exercised their bravery and gone into the sea, the Lancaster would have landed on the town.

"So I think it's really important that we remember the sacrifice people have made that allows us to have the freedoms that we have today."