| Fifty seven years after
JN-920 was shot down ghostly echoes of that
fateful night still reach us. In late 1999
a memorial service and dedication were unveiled
at the crash site in Belgium. Aviation Historian
brothers, Daniel & Kevin Hunt from the
Wings Museum who research the young aircrews
who risked and often sacrificed their lives
while flying missions deep into occupied Europe
had spent two years researching JN-920 and
tracing surviving family members of the crew
from all over the UK. Relatives of Sgt. Lewis
(the rear tail gunner) and relatives of Sgt.
Cowie (the mid upper gunner) made the long
trip to witness the unveiling which took place
on the 23rd October 1999 at the now tranquil
scene of the crash. Personnel from 51 Squadron
now based at RAF Waddington made the pilgrimage
to remember those fellow airmen that failed
to return. The whole incident grabbed the
interest of the local town and the memorial
dedication was featured on Belgium TV as well
as in the local press etc. Many residents
from around the area young and old attended
to witness the service some walking
miles to the site. Young and old were touched
by the dedication service, after the ceremony
a young local boy of around 3yrs of age was
seen to grab a handful of grass and place
it gentle down onto the memorial in memory
of the crew.
After the war was over the next-of-kin
of the crew were informed that their loved
ones had been buried at the military cemetery
at Schoonselhof, Antwerp. However, for some
reason this information did not reach the
relatives of Sgt. Lewis. Relatives of Sgt.
Lewis always believed that he was missing
and they where overwhelmed when they heard
from the Hunt brothers that Sgt. Lewis had
received a Christian burial and was laid
to rest at the Schoonselhof Military Cemetery
and that a permanent memorial was to be
unveiled later that year. At last they could
pay their emotional respects to a much loved
relative.
Since the unveiling, people still continue
to visit the memorial and pay their respects
to the aircrew who died there. The names
of those young men who gave their lives
are now permanently remembered.
The full story of Halifax JN920
her crew and many artifacts recovered from
the crash site can be seen at the Wings
Museum Redhill Aerodrome.
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