Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 22, 2007 13:27:49 GMT 12
This article is dated 27 Spetember but is of interest.
A simple stone memorial has been unveiled in a field in Kent to mark the place where a Battle of Britain Spitfire crashed in flames in 1940.
The family of the young New Zealand pilot who died travelled across the world to see the ceremony in the small village of Eynsford.
A lone Spitfire flew over the area, exactly 66 years after 20-year-old Jimmy Paterson lost his life.
The memorial was the first to be put in place by the Shoreham Aircraft Museum.
Spokesman Geoff Nutkins said a total of six Battle of Britain pilots had died within 10 miles of the museum.
We thought it would be good to carry on with this and try and concentrate on our local heroes," he said.
Mr Paterson's two great-nephews, who both serve in the armed forces, attended Wednesday's ceremony.
Pilot Officer Sam Paterson said he shared the same birthday as his great-uncle, and had joined the same air force at the same age as a pilot.
"It's almost scary the coincidences... he's very special to me," he said.
Severe burns
Flt Ltn Jimmy Paterson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1919, and having learned to fly with RNZAF in 1939 he came to the UK and joined the RAF.
He joined No 92 Squadron, Biggin Hill, in July 1940.
Just weeks before his death he wrote a letter home to his family telling them that he had survived his Spitfire being shot down over Folkestone.
He escaped with severe burns to his face and neck after falling out of his cockpit, but insisted on carrying out his normal flying duties after discharging himself from hospital.
He died on 27 September 1940 when the Spitfire he was then piloting was hit by enemy fire, crashing in Sparepenny Lane, Eynsford.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/5387158.stm
A simple stone memorial has been unveiled in a field in Kent to mark the place where a Battle of Britain Spitfire crashed in flames in 1940.
The family of the young New Zealand pilot who died travelled across the world to see the ceremony in the small village of Eynsford.
A lone Spitfire flew over the area, exactly 66 years after 20-year-old Jimmy Paterson lost his life.
The memorial was the first to be put in place by the Shoreham Aircraft Museum.
Spokesman Geoff Nutkins said a total of six Battle of Britain pilots had died within 10 miles of the museum.
We thought it would be good to carry on with this and try and concentrate on our local heroes," he said.
Mr Paterson's two great-nephews, who both serve in the armed forces, attended Wednesday's ceremony.
Pilot Officer Sam Paterson said he shared the same birthday as his great-uncle, and had joined the same air force at the same age as a pilot.
"It's almost scary the coincidences... he's very special to me," he said.
Severe burns
Flt Ltn Jimmy Paterson was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1919, and having learned to fly with RNZAF in 1939 he came to the UK and joined the RAF.
He joined No 92 Squadron, Biggin Hill, in July 1940.
Just weeks before his death he wrote a letter home to his family telling them that he had survived his Spitfire being shot down over Folkestone.
He escaped with severe burns to his face and neck after falling out of his cockpit, but insisted on carrying out his normal flying duties after discharging himself from hospital.
He died on 27 September 1940 when the Spitfire he was then piloting was hit by enemy fire, crashing in Sparepenny Lane, Eynsford.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/5387158.stm
