As is the tradition now with the team, we attended todays Remembrance Sunday Service at the Bomber Memorial overlooking Lead Mines Valley on the fringes of Anglezarke Moor.
The Memorial is erected to the memory of six Australian aircrew killed in the Second World War, when their Wellington Bomber of 28 OTU (Operational Training Unit) crashed onto the moor on November 16th 1943, with the tragic loss of all on board. (the Memorial in error has the date of November 12th)
The Service has been held for a number of years now and those attending seem to grow every year.
This year Eric Unsworth from Chorley Ramblers passed over leading the service to Sid Jones of Chorley Ramblers, who did an admirable job to the delight of Eric who despite various operations still attended this year, and according to our Leader Garry Rhodes, who walked up the hill to the Memorial with Eric, put up a spritely pace for a 76 year old !
It was nice to also see the (now) 84 year old gentleman who we assisted at last years service, when he collapsed (see Incident 93 – 2005), back to full health and at the service.
Over 110 people were present at the hill top service, with the two minutes silence falling over all present (even 3x Mountain Bikers on the opposite side of the valley stopped in respectful silence.)
The hymm Abide with Me was then sung, followed by a dedication read out by Joe Timperon, the cousin of the pilot of the doomed aircraft, Flt Sgt Joe Timperon, who had journeyed south with his wife, from their Carlisle home especially for the service.
A very moving letter was then read out by Pat of Chorley Ramblers, which had been written by the mother of Flt Sgt Joe Timperon, after his death. this was follwed by another reading, this time a poem written by an air gunner in WW II who then sadly died on operations, moveingly titled ” I’ll still be 21 years old in a 100 years time.”
The National Anthem, was followed as is tradition by the National Anthem of Australia. This is a very special moment in the service, as all the aircrew were Australians, and the recording was made in their honour some years ago by the Band of the Royal Australian Air Force, then sent over for use in this service.
Sid Jones then led all in the Lords Prayer, followed by the hymm, The Lord is my Shepherd.
Present at the service were members of the team (11x) Chorley Ramblers, South Ribble Ramblers, Bolton HF Walking Club, passing walkers and cyclists.
Amongst those present was Doctor David Bisset, a great supporter of the team following our rescue of his son in a climbing accident in August 2005.
We were also pleased to make with the acquaintance of Arthur Helsby and his wife, Arthur told our Team Leader with great pride, that he was an ex RAF MRT Leuchars troop, 1955 – 1957.
On behalf of the team, our Team Leader laid a wreath at the Memorial, “Dedicated to the memory of all military aircrew who have come to grief on the Mountains and Moorlands of the British Isles, We Shall Remember Them.”
The team expresses its thanks to Chorley Ramblers for continuing to organise and officiate at this special service.
