Blue plaque unveiled for 'exceptional' fighter pilot

Edward Dixon Crew's son Nigel (left) attended Sunday's service

An "exceptional" Battle of Britain fighter pilot has been honoured with a blue plaque in the town of his birth.

The name of Edward Dixon Crew, who became an RAF Air Vice Marshal, has been immortalised in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.

Crew was born in the market town in 1917 and downed 15 enemy aircraft during World War Two. He died in 2002, aged 84.

Gary Salmon, the mayor of Higham Ferrers, said the blue plaque for the pilot who "gave a life of service to protecting his country" was "deserved".

AVM Crew's son, Nigel Crew, 77, attended Sunday's unveiling which followed a Battle of Britain service at St Mary's Church, attended by local RAF cadets, members of the RAF Association and other dignitaries.

The blue plaque has been positioned outside AVM Crew's birthplace on the Market Square, now home to a firm of solicitors.

Its unveiling came after nine months of efforts by the mayor, who said the town council had "overwhelmingly agreed" that the honour should be granted.

The plaque was unveiled at AVM Crew's birthplace on Market Square in Higham Ferrers

AVM Crew was raised in Higham Ferrers and educated at Felsted School, Essex, and Downing College, Cambridge, earning a master of arts in anthropology and English literature.

While at Cambridge, he joined the University Air Squadron which marked the beginning of his aviation career.

After training, he was posted to No 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron in July 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain.

When he downed 15 enemy aircraft he became a triple ace and he further downed 31 V1 "Doodlebug" rockets.

Crew also held several other key positions, including secondment to the Royal Canadian Air Force, command of RAF Bruggen in Germany and leadership of Air Forces Borneo during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation.

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the Bath for his distinguished service on his retirement in 1973.