Annual village memorial to Lancaster crew is cancelled

The Sibsey Lancaster Memorial Trust was due to host its ceremony this Sunday, but the committee decided it was best to cancel the event because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Joan Rosevere MBE, secretary of the trust, said she wanted to let everyone know that the event would not be taking place, although there will be a smaller event at which committee members will lay wreathes.

She said they would also place small wooden crosses on behalf of anyone who wanted them to at the memorial.

The crew of the RAF Lancaster, on a training flight, crashed in a field at Sibsey Northlands on January 23 1943.

The body of just one crew member was recovered and he is buried in Scotland; the others lie where they fell.

At the end of the War, with the permission of the landowners, the Grant family, a Memorial was built on the exact site of the crash.

The Trust Committee was formed, dedicated to the maintenance and management of the Memorial. The late Bert Barrack MBE, and the current President, Stan Naylor, were founder members of the Trust, together with the late President, Fred Hunt from Carrington who witnessed the crash when he was twelve years old.

The Service of Remembrance normally takes place on the last Sunday in September.

Joan said five members of the Trust Committee will hold a private Remembrance Service at the site and lay wreaths on behalf of the families of the crew and also the committee.

“The committee would like to invite anyone to dedicate a small wooden cross to be placed on their behalf at the Memorial during the service. The crosses will be provided free of charge,” she added.

Anyone interested should email her at [email protected]

The ceremony, including the placing of crosses, will be filmed and placed on the trust’s website.

“We hope that “We’ll Meet Again” next year on Sunday 26 September 2021 at 2.30pm,back to normal!! Fingers crossed,” said Joan.