Memorial service for pilot killed in WW2 mission

Lt John Saville was shot down during a mission to take out a German radar in Guernsey

A memorial service has been held to mark 80 years since the death of a Canadian airman shot down over Guernsey.

Pilot Lt John Saville was hit during a mission to take out a German radar in occupied Guernsey ahead of D-Day on 6 June 1944.

There was concern the Freya radar at Fort George would be able to detect the invasion fleet and planes travelling to Normandy.

Historian Nick Le Huray said Lt Saville was the leader of the raid on 5 June after a raid on 3 June had not put the radar out of action.

He said: "John Saville was actually leading the raid in his typhoon, they dived down, released their bombs onto Fort George and unfortunately he was shot down by a flakship in the harbour.

"They actually sent four more aircraft from the UK to come and try and see if he'd survived the crash, that in itself was really risky because of the flakships around here."

A Canadian Typhoon aircraft similar to the one flown by Lt Saville

An Austrian man called Gunther Loser discovered the plane's wreckage at Havelet Bay while hunting for flatfish in what was believed to be the 1960s.

Years later he told his friend, a diver, Mick Peters.

In 1982, upon further investigation, Mr Peters confirmed it was the wreck of Lt Saville’s aircraft.

Mr Loser said: "It was autumn time, I was diving for flatfish, and I found a plane wreck."

He said: "Most of the plane was completely intact, and it probably still is.

"Thankfully I did find a few flatfish in the end."

The service was held at 08:30 BST on the walkway near Castle Cornet.