Memorial to honour airmen killed in WW2 crash

Former Royal Air Force wing commander Simon Footer said the stone memorial meant the servicemen would be remembered in the village and by visitors

A new memorial is due to be unveiled to honour seven World War Two airmen who died in a crash 81 years ago.

Their Wellington Bomber came down near Ripple Parish Hall, in Worcestershire, just after midnight on 24 August, 1944, after getting into difficulty during a training exercise.

Former RAF Wing Commander Simon Footer said a dance was being held in the village hall when the crash happened and a policeman cycled to the scene and tried in vain to save the pilot.

He said a ceremony would be held later to "celebrate, not just to remember" the lives of the men, who were mainly aged 19 or 20.

Mr Footer is a member of the committee formed to create the memorial.

He said RAF Halifax LW325 had taken off from RAF Wombleton, North Yorkshire and an accident report found it "got into trouble" near Pershore after ice built up on one of its propellers.

"They think they went into some big clouds and I know August sounds warm but you can get ice in big cumulus clouds even in the summer," he said.

Mr Footer said it was believed the right propeller and outboard broke off, resulting in the aeroplane breaking up and "spiralling down into a field just north of Ripple".

"There was in fact a dance going on at the village hall, it was a Wednesday night and some of the Americans [servicemen] used to come across for the dances," he said.

He added the main wreckage "came down 200 yards" (182 metres) from the hall.

The short ceremony will be followed by a social event

Jim Sanders, a local policeman, "got on his pushbike and he quite rapidly arrived at the terrible scene" and tried to save pilot Pete Franklin, Mr Footer explained.

Mr Sanders's daughter Pam Barnes started the project to create the memorial and Mr Footer said the crash was still remembered by some villagers.

He added the pilot was South African, two crew members were from Australia and the other crew British.

"All below the age of 25, but actually most of them 19 or 20," he said.

Overseas family search

Mr Footer added: "I was a pilot in the air force for 42 years and feel very, very lucky to be alive.

"And anything like this, when we remember our colleagues who didn't make it is always very important and poignant for us."

The unveiling is to take place at 16:00 BST on Saturday.

"We'll unveil it with a short ceremony and social event afterwards to celebrate, not just to remember, but to celebrate the lives of these young men who never got the chance to go to the village dance," Mr Footer said.

The committee tried to trace family members of the airmen, including in South Africa and Australia, he said.

"So we've done a lot of searching and if anyone can help us, we would be delighted," he said.

"As yet we haven't found people who were connected with these poor seven young men. But they will be remembered - that memorial will now stand for many years in the village."