Lancaster JB603

Memorial Day 4th May 2014

Major Wilco ter Horst RNAF
Mrs Willy Holtslag President of the Historic Society De Elf
Sebastian van het Erve Burgomaster of Lochem
Trudi Bellis Granddaughter of Jack Murray Clyde Wilson
Major Wilco ter Horst representing the RNAF
Henk Bruil
Paul Kurn
Trudi Bellis reads a poem written by her son
Flight Lieutenant Damon Green 100 Squadron
Sebastian van het Erve
Time to unveil
Eric Geurts Represented the Royal British Legion Netherlands Branch
Meeting Fred and Rosemary Bellis
Bill Aldred the younger brother of Rear Gunner Bernard George Aldred
Henk Ten Pas left and Eric Mackay on the right
Henk Ten Pas
Christina Peake the daughter of Mid Upper Gunner Eamonn Gillen with Karl and Hans Lusink
Jo Ten Pas
Flight Lieutenant Damon Green and Flying Officer Liam Green 100 Squadron
Ab Hemeltjen
100 Squadron kindly presented a print signed by the squadron pilots

On May 4th 2014, we returned to the crash site. It was almost two years after my first visit to the area. We returned to unveil a memorial. The day would not have happened without the help of Eric Mackay, Henk Ten Pas, and Henk Bruil.

We had in attendance, Rosemary Bellis, daughter of Jack Wilson. Christina Peake, daughter of Eamonn Gillen, was also there. Bill Aldred, brother of Bernard Aldred, attended as well. The son of Joyce Sparrow (Reginald Barker’s wife) was there too.

Official representation from 100 Squadron, the British Embassy, Royal British Legion, Royal Netherlands Air force, Study Group Air War 1939-45 and the Burgomaster of Lochem

The biggest surprise for me on the day was when someone walked up to me after the ceremony and said ” Hello my name is Karl Lusink, I said we would do a dig for you at the crash site” he proceeded to open a shoebox containing fragments of JB603

From the box, I took these few fragments. They were nothing significant. There was some Perspex and twisted metal. The T connector from an oxygen or hydraulic line was particularly poignant. It was stamped with the number 603.