Yesterday in Kent…..

Yesterday morning, 16 August 2010, a memorial was unveiled to Belgian pilot Albert van-den Hove d’Ertsenrijck of 501 Squadron at the spot where he was killed on 15 September 1940. The monument was unveiled by his daughter, Adrienne, who never really knew her father and only recently discovered the circumstances of his death. The memorial is situated alongside the River Stour at Bilting exactly where the Hurricane crashed. Peter Monk in his “Kent Spitfire” carried out a salute flypast and short display in tribute.

Fourteen year old Don Kay (right in photograph with family members) had been fishing just yards away when Albert tried to force-land his smoking Hurricane but seemingly stalled off a turn as he tried to get into another adjacent field. Don was first on the scene and jumped into the river to try to free Albert from the wreckage of the cockpit but he was already beyond help.