Family of Alves airman Sergeant Alastair James Taylor - of The Dambusters - unveil memorial to Lancaster crew in the Netherlands
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THE family of an Alves airman who died during The Dambusters' raids of 1943 have paid a lasting tribute to him and his crewmates, writes Ken Drummond.
An Avro Lancaster AJ-K – part of 617 Squadron – took off at 9.30pm on May 16, 1943 from RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
Their mission was to attack the German Sorpe dam in Operation Chastise.
However, flying at very low level, the plane was hit by German anti-aircraft fire near Texel, in the northern Netherlands, and crashed into the Waddenzee about 18 miles west of Harlingen.
All seven crew members lost their lives. The body of rear gunner Flight Sergeant James McDowell, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, was recovered on June 22, 1943 south of Terschelling and buried the next day in Harlingen cemetery.
The other six crew members are listed as missing and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
On June 23, Andrew Anderson, from Kintessack, his wife Florence, and Alastair Taylor, from Garmouth, joined other members of the Taylor family from Larbert, Stirling and Christchurch, New Zealand at the unveiling of a memorial to the seven members of the crew which included their uncle, Sergeant Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer, a farmer's son from Alves.
At just 20 years of age, Sgt Taylor was the youngest member of the crew which had an average age of only 23.
The placing of the memorial had been organised and arranged by the 617 Squadron Netherlands Aircrew Memorial Foundation.
At 11am a service was held in the beautiful Harlingen cemetery, including speeches from the Mayor of Harlingen, a representative of the British Embassy in The Hague, and Andrew on behalf of the family.
The unveiling was performed by two members of Sgt Taylor’s family, Alastair Taylor and Wendy Moncrieff.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Town of Harlingen, British Embassy, Royal Air Force Association, The Royal British Legion, 617 Squadron Association and relatives.
The names of the seven airmen were read out, a trumpeter played The Last Post and a two-minute silence was observed. A piper, in full dress, opened and closed the service during which there was a flypast by two Dutch Air Force F35 aircraft from 322 Squadron.
Following the service and dedication, guests were treated to a civic lunch hosted by the Mayor of Harlingen, Ina Sjerps.
The six missing airmen were the only ones of the 53 men lost on the dam raids not to have their own graves or memorial to commemorate them.
Funding for the memorial came from the 617 Squadron Netherlands Aircrew Memorial Foundation, a Gofundme page, the local Rotary Club in Harlingen and several private sources.
A spokesperson for the Taylor family said: "This is a wonderful tribute to those brave young men. We are proud and happy to have been there for this great event. They will always be remembered, and the sacrifice they made"
The full list of the crew of Lancaster AJ-K is:
P/O V W Byers (RCAF), pilot.
Sgt A J Taylor, flight engineer.
F/O J H Warner, navigator.
Sgt. J Wilkinson, wireless operator.
P/O A N Whittaker, bomb aimer.
Sgt. C McA Jarvie, front gunner.
F/S J McDowell (RCAF), rear gunner.
