Hundreds pay respect at Sussex site of crashed British bomber

Set on the ridges of Ashdown Forest, the Airman’s Grave is one of the most poignant memorials in Sussex and marks the spot where a Wellington bomber from RAF 142 Squadron crashed on 31 July 1941, killing all six crew. It is not a burial site, but a place of remembrance, created by the mother of one of the airmen and cared for ever since.A Remembrance Day service was held on Sunday morning at the Airman’s Grave memorial on Ashdown Forest.

Sunday’s service was was a deeply moving occasion, with wreaths laid and respects paid to all those who have lost their lives through conflict.

Rev. Dr. John Caperon led the service, and Paul Gardiner performed the Last Post and Reveille.

Thanks were expressed to the behind the scenes team including sound engineer Paul, and all the many volunteers and Forest team staff who all make this event run smoothly.

The six young men who lost their lives on Ashdown Forest in July 1941 were: First Pilot: Harry Fidler; Second Pilot: Vic Sutton; Observer: Wilf Brooks; Wireless Operator: Ernest Cave; Air Gunner: Stan Hathaway and Rear Gunner: Len Saunders

A plaque inscribed to their memory reads: “To live in the hearts of those left behind is not to die.”