Picture: Apex News & Pictures, Exminster
Exeter
Inset: Chf Tech Richard Brown
|
A
Salute to Our Heroes
Western Daily Press
30th January 2006
www.westpress.co.uk
Story by Barry Leighton
Email: 
b.leighton@bepp.co.uk
0N a bracing Sunday morning
the engines of a lone Hercules aircraft cut through the silence
as it flew solemnly over a clutch of people gathered at a
West war memorial.
The simple, heart-felt ceremony shortly after llam yesterday
paid tribute to Richard Brown, 40, one of 10 brave servicemen
who died when a Hercules plane crashed in Iraq a year ago
today.
The fly-past at Newton Abbot in Devon, where the chief technician
grew-up, will be followed today by a ceremony at RAF Lyneham,
Wiltshire, where the aircraft was based.
There, grieving families, friends and colleagues of eight
of the heroes who were killed when their C130 Hercules was
shot down will mark the anniversary of the tragedy. It also
emerged yesterday that designs for three schemes are under
way to create a permanent tribute to the courageous crew.
The suggested schemes are: A garden of remembrance, a stained
glass window and a carved memorial.
Villagers from Lyneham and staff at the base are working
on the plans with the families of those who died. The Lyneham
Old Boys Association and Wootton Bassett Royal British Legion
are also involved.
Group Captain Paul Oborn, who has just left his post as station
commander, said: "The response from the local community
has been overwhelming and is greatly appreciated." It
was January 30 last year that the Lyneham based Hercules XV179
was hit by a surface to air missile 25 miles north of Baghdad,
causing the large air transporter to crash. |
The ceremony yesterday marked the unveiling
of a new war memorial at Newton Abbot that included the name
of Chief Technician Ritchie Brown on the granite block.
Today, the new station commander, Group Captain Paul Atherton
will plant a tree in Lyneham's garden of remembrance after
unveiling a plaque to honour the dead men in what will be
a low-key, private ceremony. Those at the base said they hope
it will help the painful passing of a significant milestone
in the grieving process for families. A source at RAF Lyneham
said: "For the families it is very hard, and always will
be." Life has continued at the base, as one would expect
from the home of Britain's aerial supply line. Crews sent
aid to earth quake-hit regions of Pakistan, and continue to
supply troops across the world . |
