During 2011, an additional memorial to the 1029 personnel who have lost their lives whilst serving with No 78 Sqn RAF from 1916 to date was unveiled outside the 78 Sqn Hangar at RAF Benson.
A WWII specific memorial stands in the churchyard of All Saints, Bubwith 1M N of Breighton airfield - 78 Sqn's base from June 1943 to Sept 1945
The new memorial features the propeller unit from the No 3 (Starboard Inner) engine of 78 Sqn Halifax Mk III LV905 EY-W lost with all crew on 25/5/44 at Hank, Holland. Of further note the actual engine itself is also back in the UK and at Breighton airfield nr Selby- from where LV905 took off never to return . . .
The propeller is mounted of a 3 ton block of Yorkstone from a quarry at Halifax West Yorkshire (deliberately selected due to 78 Sqn's links with Yorkshire when part of No 4 Gp Bomber Command)
One of two plaques on the memorial remembers this particular crew
Pilot: P/O Eric "Tug" Wilson
Flight Engineer: Sgt William White
Navigator: F/O Sid Paterson RCAF
Bomb Aimer: F/O Norman Marston DFC
Wireless Operator: F/S Joe Henderson
Mid Upper Gunner: Sgt George "Tex" Butler
Rear Gunner: F/S Joe Le Blanc RCAF
Finally, and as part of our 95th Anniversary celebrations (1st Nov 2011), an Augusta Westland Merlin HC3 temporarily carried special 95th Anniversary markings which saw (for the first time since 1949) a 78 Sqn aircraft again carrying the "EY" identity codes as ZJ126/Kilo doubled as LV905 EY-W
I have established contact with relatives of all but one of the crew and they are delighted that the modern day 78 Sqn chose to honour our WWII comrades and this particular crew. During WWII 78 Sqn lost 979 aircrew KIA of which 183 officially remain MIA . . .
The Bomber Command Memorial will be unveiled in June, it is hoped that all operational RAF Sqn's who have Bomber Command on their CV will be there to remember the 55,573 Boys who didn't make it back for their post op bacon and eggs . . .
Hope this is of interest, and apologies if it's slightly off topic
Rgds
Tony H (voluntary Sqn History Officer) 78 Sqn, RAF Benson
