Lancaster Monument:  memorial ceremony October 2016 with unveiling of new information panels

 

Lancaster Monument:  new information panels installed October 2016:

 

Lancaster Monument complete - October 2016

 

 

Feedback reproduced with clients' kind permission following a search to trace the family of an air-gunner, one of the crew of a Lancaster of 83 Pathfinder Squadron shot down over the Netherlands during WW2, so that his photo and details could be added to a memorial:

 

“It is 12 o'clock in the night and I read your email. What do you think what happened to me!!

I was completely out of my mind. That you found relatives of Frank. How wonderful!!

 I am hoping that I can sleep receiving this news!

You made us very happy, finding relatives of Frank and that a picture will become available. Near the monument and on the cemetery are information boards and the picture of Frank is the only missing one. With this picture the crew will be complete! 

It will be of great interest who will be on the crew picture you wrote about.”

 

(then after receiving photos: scans and photographs e-mailed from originals supplied by the air-gunner’s family):

 

“Thank you so much for these pictures, wonderful. We started in 1998 our first search.

In short time we received pictures from 4 of the crew. In 2010 we could contact the pilot’s

family and received pictures and other information.

Tracing the navigator’s family took several years, but we found relatives (a son). 

But the mid-upper air gunner, no way! In a local paper an article was placed, many times,

but no reactions. And now you Patricia, you found a relative, WONDERFUL, thank you

so much. I have informed the other committee members. They told me to thank you

so much too. You have done such wonderful work.

Lovely what you did for us.”

(Wilhelm Arents of The Friends of the Lancaster Monument in Anreep, Netherlands, May 2016) 

New installation panels were unveiled at the monument by the local mayor in October 2016.