Warfare in News
Posted on Monday 5th August
A new memorial has been put in place for 6 RAF airmen who were killed in a crash in one of the most remote places in Britain, the Scottish Highlands, during the Second World War.
The location's remoteness, 2,000 ft up Ben More Assynt, led to the decision during the war not to remove the remains of the 6 men, named by the Telegraph as Pilot Officer William Drew, Sergeant Jack Emery, Sergeant Harold Arthur Tompsett, Flying Officer James Henry Steyn, Sergeant Charles Mitchell and Flight Sergeant Thomas Brendon Kenny.
The incident occurred in April 1941 when the men's Anson plane crashed in terrible snow during a navigation exercise.
The War Graves Commission and the RAF have placed a granite memorial stone on the site, replacing the existing cairn which had suffered weather damage. A Chinook from RAF Odiham was used to lift the stone into place, making it the Commission's highest grave in Britain, at 2,000 feet up.
The location's remoteness, 2,000 ft up Ben More Assynt, led to the decision during the war not to remove the remains of the 6 men, named by the Telegraph as Pilot Officer William Drew, Sergeant Jack Emery, Sergeant Harold Arthur Tompsett, Flying Officer James Henry Steyn, Sergeant Charles Mitchell and Flight Sergeant Thomas Brendon Kenny.
The incident occurred in April 1941 when the men's Anson plane crashed in terrible snow during a navigation exercise.
The War Graves Commission and the RAF have placed a granite memorial stone on the site, replacing the existing cairn which had suffered weather damage. A Chinook from RAF Odiham was used to lift the stone into place, making it the Commission's highest grave in Britain, at 2,000 feet up.
Further Reading
The Royal Air Force 1939-1945
(Paperback - 132 pages)by Chaz Bowyer
This book examines every aspect of The Royal Air Force, including organisation, statistics and operations during World War Two. Read more...
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