Halifax Crew Remembered.

Thanks for the Info Tony and well done to you and all who were involved.

I see from the original article that it was NLG250,000 rather than Euro which as far as i know works out at approx STG100,000.

Not knowing much about these things, is that the amount normally involved in such an operation?

Gents for info

The Memorial was unveiled outside “B” Hangar at RAF Benson on Mon 4th April

The info below is taken from the RAF Website;

After travelling hundreds of miles, a memorial to lost 78 Squadron personnel has finally been unveiled in a special ceremony at RAF Benson today.

The memorial is a lasting reminder to all 78 Squadron personnel who have been lost since the Squadron was created almost 95 years ago. It is formed from a chiselled piece of Halifax stone donated by Rand & Asquith quarry mounted with the remains of a propeller from a 78 Squadron Halifax bomber that was lost during World War II.

Current 78 Squadron personnel paraded to the front of the Squadron hangar, accompanied by the Squadron Standard, where the Station Padre, Wing Commander Jan Taylor, officially consecrated the memorial and dedicated it to all 1029 personnel from 78 Squadron who had been lost since 1916. This included pilots, aircrew, and groundcrew from across the decades and the variety of operations the Squadron has conducted. Following the last post, two minutes silence and reveille, the ceremony concluded with the flypast of a Merlin helicopter, the type that the Squadron currently fly, trailing a Royal Air Force ensign.

The consecration was witnessed by both current and former 78 Squadron personnel including Ex-Officer Commanding 78 Squadron Air Vice Marshall Barry North, currently the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff and notable ex-Squadron personnel such as Larry Taylor DFC, George Duffee DFC, and Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman DFC. They were joined by Janice Freeman and Alison Eustance, the granddaughters of RAF wireless operator Joseph Henderson who was lost when his Halifax bomber was shot down over Holland in 1944.

It was a particularly poignant time for Janice and Alison as the propeller that forms the memorial was the third propeller from the Halifax bomber in which they lost their grandfather (LV905 EY-W “Willie”) Janice explained: “It’s been very moving. It’s been a real celebration of the crew and what they did. But it was nice that they related it right through history to what 78 Squadron are out doing today in Afghanistan. It really brought it home that things haven’t changed that much. There’s still people going out there and doing their bit.”

She continued, “Mum was 4 when he died. It puts you in touch with him, with the man we essentially never knew. You feel a little bit closer to him really, through these things.” Alison added, “Without Granddad Joe we wouldn’t be here today.”

Wing Commander Dan Startup, the current Officer Commanding of 78 Squadron, commented, “Since 78 Squadron was formed almost 95 years ago we’ve lost over 1000 people and it was an honour for us all to be able to recognise the sacrifices those before us have made. We hope that this memorial will enable their memories to live on in the hearts and minds of the younger generations now serving with the Squadron.”

I am unable to load any images here (for unknown reasons?) Hhowever if anyone wants to view them, you can either; google 78 Sqn Memorial, go to “Team Merlin” on FB or try the AIX Forum > Memorial Photos & News for pictures

Kind Regards

Tony H
Voluntary Sqn History Officer
78 Sqn