Families unveil memorial to tragic teenage Shropshire airman killed in wartime crash
A memorial has been unveiled honouring the sacrifice of a teenage airman and two of his colleagues who lost their lives when their bomber crashed during the war.
Sergeant Eddie Brisbourne, 19, from Much Wenlock, was the rear gunner of the Wellington bomber and died when the aircraft suffered an engine failure while on approach to landing at RAF Desborough in Northamptonshire, hit a tree, and burst into flames.
Among those at the ceremony was Eddie’s sister, 85-year-old Jean Jones, from Sundorne, Shrewsbury, along with members of the families of the other victims, who unveiled the memorial, which was draped in the Union Jack and Australian flag.
The memorial has been erected close to the site of the tragedy.
The area is now covered by a new housing estate, and members of Desborough Civic Society had successfully negotiated for an area of the estate to be used for remembrance.
Made of York Stone, it has a granite plaque bearing an image of a Wellington bomber and honouring the trio who died – Pilot Officer Reg Byrne of the Royal Australian Air Force and, from the RAF Volunteer Reserve, Sergeant Bill Barnett and Eddie.
It also recognises the sacrifice of other airmen who lost their lives while training at RAF Desborough, which was the home of Bomber Command’s 84 Operational Training Unit.
Jean said: “I was very proud of him. It’s wonderful. I remember the last time I saw him, he turned around and smiled and held up his hand. He was lovely in his own way. I can remember the day he died. I came home from school and tears were streaming down from mum’s eyes.”
Eddie’s nephew David Brisbourne, from Cheswardine, who was also at the event, said the family lived on a smallholding at Much Wenlock.
“He had six brothers and two sisters. His dad fought in the First World War for the Canadian Army and lost his leg which meant his mobility was restricted and Eddie’s mother Eve had to milk the cows, deliver the milk to houses in Much Wenlock by horse and cart and bring up eight children.
“When the Second World War broke out Eddie wanted to join the RAF but had to wait until he was old enough. He volunteered, became a sergeant at the age of 19 and became the rear gunner of the Wellington bomber.
“He was still living in Much Wenlock at the time and, as my Aunty Jean said, there were a lot of tears from my Nan on receiving the letter from the Air Ministry.”
More than 50 people, including Squadron Leader Luke Ridgway who was attending on behalf of the Australian government and the RAF, joined in the service. Squadron Leader Ridgway and Jean were among those who laid wreaths.
Event co-organiser Steve Richards, of the civic society, said: “It’s a fitting memorial to those who died. The ceremony was very moving, especially for the relatives of those that died in the crash.”
The aircraft had taken off from RAF Desborough for a night exercise and crashed on its return in the early hours of September 5, 1944. Three of the six on board survived the crash and were treated for their injuries at the air base’s sick quarters.
