The memorials

There are two memorials to the crash and the men who died. The most important to me is the memorial to the crash that has been erected in St Andrews Park, Bristol. The three crewmen who died are also remembered on a memorial at Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire. Details of both of these memorials are presented on this page.

The St Andrews Park Memorial

When I visited the park in 2001/2 I thought it was rather sad that there was no memorial there to remember the men who had died or the brave people who had risked their lives to to try to rescue them. Whilst creating this site I made contact with the Friends of St Andrews Park (http://friendsofstandrewspark.ning.com/). They had plans to erect a memorial to the crash in St Andrews Park. I thought this is a great idea. Click here to listen to David Cemlyn, from the Friends of St Andrews Park being interviewed on BBC Radio Bristol on the 9th March 2009 about the plans for the memorial.

The memorial was dedicated and unveiled on 26th September 2009.

Hover your cursor over the image to magnify it. The stone was engraved by local stone mason Michael Blow (see http://www.michaelblow.co.uk/).

Here are some photos from the dedication ceremony:

Holes are drilled in the concrete slab The frames are bolted down The frames are in place The stone is lowered into place
and bolted to the frames Bark covers the concrete slab The stone and peace rose are
ready for the ceremony Michael Blow and David Cemlyn Jenny Morris The sons of Sgt Charles Clarke -
Arthur (right) Pete (middle) Pat (left) John Clarke and the memorial John Clarke and Brian Clifford
(son of George Clifford) Carole Rennie (Sgt Wish's step daughter) Hillary O'Connor (nee Westlake) and her daughter and grandson Hillary O'Connor and Karen Reilley
(Bruce Westlake's sister and daugther) The Clarke family with David Cemlyn and Jenny Morris John Clarke and Larry Northam
(formally of 12th Gloucestershire Battalion (City of Bristol) Home Guard) Patricia Seymour (nee Spray) and sons The ATC flags People begin to arrive Many relatives and local
people came to the ceremony The RAF Association (SW) Concert Band
conducted by Peter Skellon The Mayor arrives Introductions The dignitaries on stage Welcome and introduction given by David Cemlyn John Clarke makes a speech Assistant Chief Constable John Long
talks about PC Bruce Westlake An emotional Karen Reilley hears
about her father’s bravery Karen receives the posthumous award
on behalf of her father Bruce Westlake A very proud Karen Reilley shows off the award Relatives and local people Air Vice Marshall Nigel Baldwin commends
the crew and the bravery of local people Air Vice Marshall Nigel Baldwin
unveils the memorial The Air Vice Marshall reads the inscription The last post is played by
Debbie McDougall Wreaths from the Air Vice Marshall
andthe RAF Association and
The Royal Observer Corps Association The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol
Councillor Christopher Davies The Lord Mayor plants the Peace Rose Relatives of Frederick Spray lay flowers Assistant Chief Constable John Long
lays a wreath The Clarke family lay flowers The Clarke family lay flowers The Clarke family lay flowers May Gordon reads a poem by Ruby Bowell

Please take the time to watch these videos of the dedication ceremony.

I would like to thank the Friends of St Andrews Park, especially David Cemlyn and Jenny Morris for their organising of this event and all their efforts to raise the funds to make the memorial a reality. I would like to acknowledge the generous donations recieved from Bristol City Council of £2,500, Barcan+Kirby Solicitors of £1,000 and John James Trust of £1,000. I would also like to thank Lawton Brothers Scaffolding for donating the stage for the day and BES Systems for the use of the sound system. I would like to also give a special thank you to Beryl Sanderson for her hospitality towards my dad, my brother and myself and to my wife, Azra, for looking after my mum so that my dad could attend the ceremony.


The Steeple Morden Memorial

P/O Kenneth Evans, Sgt Charles Clarke and Sgt Thomas Lever are commemorated on the war memorial at Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire. The first photo below is reproduced with permission from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/SteepleMorden355thFighterGroup.html. This site contains a detailed description of the memorial. The second photo is reproduced with permission from Richard E Flagg from http://www.ukairfields.org.uk/index.html and shows the right hand panel of the memorial (underlining mine).


Steeple Morden war memorial

The right hand panel of the Steeple Morden memorial
EHC J L W