A church service to mark the 70th anniversary of a war time air disaster near the village of Yardley Gobion is to be held this Sunday, March 23.
On the night of March 20, 1944, a Canadian Air Force Wellington bomber on a training flight crashed in fields behind Yardley Gobion and burst into flames, with the loss of all eight of its crew, some of whom were in their 20s. Yardley Gobion was grateful to the pilot, who managed to avoid the village.
A lectern in St Leonard’s Church was purchased by public subscription and dedicated to their memory and there is a plaque on the village war memorial to commemorate them.
Captain Paul Bordush from the Royal Canadian Air Force and Russ Barrie from the Royal British Legion will be attending the service.
Afternoon tea will be served from 5pm and the service is at 6pm. This is also the first event to mark the 150th anniversary of St Leonard’s Church.