THE sacrifices made by members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) at a North- East air base during the Second World War were remembered at the weekend.

An audience drawn from both sides of the Atlantic gathered alongside veterans, cadets and serving military personnel at Durham Tees Valley Airport on Saturday for a memorial service.

The airport, known as Middleton St George during the war, housed three RCAF squadrons – 419, 420 and 428, which completed hundreds of bombing raids over Europe.

Saturday’s service took place in the shadow of the statue of Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski, of 419 Squadron.

He died after saving friend Pat Brophy on board their blazing bomber and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

The sculpture was erected thanks to The Northern Echo’s Forgotten Hero campaign, which raised £76,000.

Among those in attendance was Lisa Smith, from Ontario, Canada, whose grandfather, Bill Smith, flew Lancaster bombers from Middleton St George in 1945.

Miss Smith said she flew from Canada to England on June 1, 65 years to the day that her grandfather was flying his Lancaster home after the war in Europe ended. She said her grandfather would have been proud to have seen the service.

“It is our responsibility to ensure this continues,” she said. “We must remember the men who served and the sacrifices they made for us.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley “Moose” Vogen, commanding officer of 419 Squadron, also attended.

He said: “This means everything.

It is the culmination of my career as a combat pilot to meet these internationally recognised heroes.”

Lt Col Vogen said 419 Squadron consisted of 75 people, all of whom were wellaware of the role of Middleton St George in the war story.

He said: “For us, the efforts of Middleton St George, and 419 Squadron, and the Lancaster and Halifax bombers, are a national treasure.”

Edsel Amlin, one of the organising committee and RCAF standard bearer, said: “As long as there is breath in my body this event will go on. We cannot forget these people, many of whom paid with their lives.”