Dambusters pilot Bill Townsend honoured with blue plaque

The blue plaque has been installed at Bill Townsend's former home on Marlbrook Lane, Bromsgrove

A pilot who took part in the Dambusters raids has been posthumously honoured with a plaque at his former home.

Flt Lt Bill Townsend, from Bromsgrove, was part of the mission which targeted German dams in 1943.

A circular blue plaque, inscribed with his name, has been installed in the garden of a house on Marlbrook Lane where he lived for 42 years.

His son, Mike Townsend, said the family were "very proud" of his role in the raids.

"We're very grateful to everyone who has been involved in getting this plaque placed here," he added.

Margaret Charles, who now lives at the house told BBC Hereford & Worcester she was "quite happy" to have the plaque installed in her front garden.

Mike Townsend, right, said his family were "very proud" of his role in the raids

Mr Townsend said that the house was a "lovely place", which had held lots of memories.

"There is so much that I had wished I'd asked [him] while he was still with us and I'm sure he'd have had lots of stories to tell," he said.

"He was just a really good bloke to be honest."

Flt Lt Townsend had piloted one of the 19 Lancaster bombers on the 16 and 17 May 1943, when the Dambusters raids were launched during World War Two

The plaque honouring his efforts was unveiled at a special ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the raids at Avoncroft museum, organised by the Bromsgrove Society.

"He spent more than half of his life and certainly the majority of his adult life in Bromsgrove," Mike Sharpe, from Bromsgrove Society, said.

"We thought it was very appropriate to recognise him as a local resident."