A MEMORIAL to honour seven Second World War dead whose bomber crashed in the region has been unveiled near the crash site.

Halifax bomber LV836, of 427 Lion Squadron, based at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, crashed shortly after take-off on February 21, 1944.

The fully laden plane came down on what was then land at Crowtree Farm, at Romanby, near to the outskirts of Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

The crew of seven Canadians all died in the crash The Halifax which only joined the squadron in November 1943, came down on what is now the fifth hole at Romanby Golf and Country Club.

Two years ago Alan Jones, the brother of Sergeant George Jones, one of those who died in the crash, gave the club a photograph of the crew.

This led club member John Whitfield to research the crash and it was decided a memorial to the war dead, near the club’s putting green, would be a fitting tribute.

The unveiling of the plaque yesterday was attended by golf club owner Brian Craven, grandson of Arthur Craven, who ran Crowtree Farm at the time of the crash.

Colonel Doug Neil, the Canadian Air Force’s air command’s special representative to the UK, and group captain William Gibson, RAF Leeming station commander were also there.

Richard Boucher, of the golf club, said: “We are honoured to unveil this plaque in memory of those who lost their lives. We’re delighted that the Canadian Airforce is helping and this also honours the great loss of lives of the other bomber crews of so many years ago.”

In total, 427 Lion Squadron, at RAF Leeming, flew 3,328 sorties in the Second World War and lost 522 airmen during them.

An RAF Leeming spokesman said: “The bomber was part of a raid that was heading out to Stuttgart, in Germany, when it crashed shortly after take-off. It’s very good of the golf club to decide to do something like this for the crew who died in the crash.”