The service and sacrifice of eleven Royal Airforce airmen is being honoured by way of a special monument that was unveiled in Chilliwack on Saturday.
The Airplane Creek Memorial now stands in Thompson Park, a tribute to the airmen who died during a World War II training mission. Lt. Ron Shore with the Royal Canadian Navy says the airmen’s story is unfamiliar to many.
“A lot of people know about the Slesse accident, but they don’t know a lot about the KK241 incident,” said Shore.
On June 1, 1945, Liberator bomber KK241 took off from Abbotsford Airport. A short time later, the plane flew into the side of Mount Welch in Chilliwack, killing all aboard.
A large ground search lasting two weeks was launched. The wreckage was eventually found, but the terrain was too steep to remove it, so the men were buried at the side of the mountain on July 1.
“It was the largest single loss of life in British Columbia during World War II–the loss of these eleven men and it’s a history that possibly has been forgotten about,” said Nick Hammond, a relative of Sgt. James Leonard Gordon Hammond, who died in the crash.
Memorials were erected, but over time fell into disrepair.
“When we found it, it was actually sitting face down with that plaque lying right in the middle of the river,” said Shore.
In July 2015, the Canadian Legion had one of the engines from the crashed bomber airlifted from the site. It now features prominently in the memorial unveiled today.
The names of the men are etched in granite. Their story is no longer a piece of forgotten history.
Their families say it’s all a little overwhelming.
“It’s something that is indescribable. It’s hard to put into words what it means to us, but finally after 70 years we’re able to put it to rest, put it to closure,” said Hammond.
“The inscriptions and everything about it, said Derek Watson, a friend of Sgt. David Robertson Langlands.
“It’s just a magnificent memorial. You’ve done the boys proud.”
About $20,000 is needed to cover the remaining cost of the memorial. A GoFundMe page has been set up for those wanting to make a donation.
Comments