Memorial for World War Two RAF heroes

10:33pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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A HEROIC RAF pilot and his three comrades who were shot down during World War Two were honoured at a memorial service in the Netherlands last week.

The twin daughters of Warrant Officer Christopher Saunders, who now live in Princes Risborough, went to visit their father's final resting place.

Frankie Newman and Jackie Purser, both 69, now live together in Poppy Road, Princes Risborough.

They were joined by WO Saunders' grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mrs Newman said the service, which took place on May 7, had been a great experience for everyone involved.

She said: "It was brilliant. It was better than I thought it could ever be.

"It was very hot and it was very tiring, but they did a wonderful thing for us, they really did us proud."

The four man crew of Hampden P1206, of 49 Squadron, left RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire on November 8, 1941.

It was on a mission to Bocholt in Germany, but was attacked over the coast by a German night fighter and crashed into farmland along Berkhout, North Holland.

The remains of WO Saunders and Sgt James D'Arcy, were recovered by the Germans and buried in Bergen General Cemetery.

But the bodies of Sgt Stanley Mullenger and Sgt John Kehoe lay with their aircraft, until an excavation by the Dutch Air Force and the Dutch Army in September 2007.

Mrs Newman explained that first there was a funeral for the Sgt Mullenger and Sgt Kehoe, who's remains were buried in a single coffin, beneath headstones lying back to back with the graves of their old comrades.

The family then went to the cemetary for the internment and had lunch at the farmhouse near to the crash site.

Mrs Newman said: "It gives us a sort of closure now.It made a lot of difference to all the relatives."

"I have never been there before. It was very emotional to be there after all these years. It's a beautiful location, and I was told they put flowers on the graves every two of three weeks."

A memorial to all four airmen, which inorporated a propeller from the downed plane into its design, was unveiled close to the original crash site at Berkhout.

Koggenland Mayor Leoni Sipkes said: "May they and all the others that died for freedom and justice not be forgotten. They gave us freedom and it is our duty to keep it."