Memorial dedicated to crew members of World War Two bomber crash

A commemorative stone has been unveiled to honor the crew of a Halifax bomber who perished when their aircraft crashed during World War Two. Seven individuals lost their lives when the plane impacted a bungalow near Applegarth Primary School, in Northallerton, on 2 December 1943. On Monday, students from the school, along with officials and local residents, gathered to dedicate the memorial. Joan Haslam, who was a pupil at the school at the time of the incident, described the accident as “a very traumatic experience” for herself and her classmates. The aircraft had departed from a nearby RAF base, carrying both British and Canadian airmen, when it crashed during a training exercise. Ms. Haslam mentioned that she had attempted to suppress memories of the crash for an extended period, but returning and “talking it over” provided significant relief. The 86-year-old expressed that the memorial stone was “a wonderful idea”, stating it was “so important to remember those young men and what they gave”. Lynne Cross, from Applegarth Primary, commented: “It’s something that is really integral to the history of our school.“There were children in lessons and there was a loud roar and then it crashed, just behind where our school field is now.“It is part of our history curriculum that we commemorate these really brave airman and see it as part of the history of all the children who are currently Applegarth pupils.” Among the students present at the unveiling were nine-year-olds Lexi and Jude. Lexi remarked: “My dad goes away quite a lot [with the RAF] and these people that were in the plane actually risked their lives to try and save us.” Jude added: “It means a lot to me, because loads of people risked their lives just for us and it was a very special event for everyone.” Phil Eames, Mayor of Northallerton, stated: “It’s been a fantastic collaboration between the RAF the Town Council, Applegarth School, local historians and many other people, and it’s just great that it’s come together today.” Further content from North Yorkshire is available on BBC Sounds, and the latest episode of Look North can be accessed. The public is also invited to submit story suggestions. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites and provides information on its approach to external linking.