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Thread: Douglas A20 Boston found in Italy

  1. #1

    Default Douglas A20 Boston found in Italy

    Some more of the missing who can finally go home! The wreckage of BZ590, along with remains of the crew of 4 (3 British, 1 Australian) from 18 Sqn RAF were discovered near Ferrara in nothern Italy in July 2011 following an archaeological excavation.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    This is the Malta Memorial. Because of the find of the Air Crash Po team, four names will be deleted from the list of missing airmen.
    http://www.aircrashpo.com/raikes.htm

  2. #2

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    Thanks for the info on this. Seems they are finding many lost planes and those in them can finally be given the homors they deserve.

  3. #3

    Thumbs up

    Yes it seems many are now coming to light & giving closure to the Families of the lost Airman.

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  5. #5

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    Lest we forget!

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  7. #7

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    LET IT BE HUSHED

    by David Raikes (d.21.4.1945)

    Let it be hushed; let the deep ocean close
    Upon these dead. Others may laud their parts,
    Raise monuments of marble in their names.
    But we who flew with them and laughed with them,
    We other crews who, living side by side,
    In outward contacts slowly came to know
    Their inmost parts, would rather leave untouched
    The wound we healed, the love we buried there.

    These men knew moments you have never known,
    Nor ever will; we knew those moments too,
    And talked of them in whispers late at night;
    Such confidence was born of danger shared.
    We shared their targets, too; but we came back.
    Lightly we talked of it. We packed their kit,
    Divided up such common useful things
    As cigarettes and chocolate, rations stored
    Against a rainy day that never came.

    ‘And they cast lots among them!’ Someone said,
    ‘It was a pity that he wore his watch;
    It was a good one, twenty pounds he said
    He paid for it in Egypt. Now, let’s see,
    Who’s on tonight. Ah, Taffy – you’ve a good one!
    You’d better leave it with me.’ And we laughed.

    Cold were we? Cold at heart. You get that way.
    Sometimes we knew what happened; how they crashed.
    It was not always on the other side.
    One pranged upon the runway, dipped a wing,
    The navigator bought it, and the gunner.
    The other two got out, a little shaken.

    Bob crashed when doing an air test, just low flying
    – At least they think it was, they couldn’t say.
    The plane was burning fiercely when they found it;
    One man thrown clear, still living, but he died
    On way to hospital. The loss was ours, –
    Because I shared an aeroplane with Bob.

    We had to get another D for dog.
    And some did not come back. We never knew
    Whether they lived – at first just overdue,
    Till minutes changed to hours, and still no news.
    One went to bed; but roused by later crews,
    Asked ‘Were they back yet?’ and being answered ‘No’,
    Went back to sleep.

    One’s waking eyes sought out the empty beds,
    And ‘Damn’, you said, ‘another kit to pack’;
    I never liked that part, you never knew
    What privacies your sorting might lay bare.
    I always tried to leave my kit arranged
    In decent tidiness. You never knew.
    But that is past. The healing river flows
    And washes clean the wound with passing years.
    We grieve not now. There was a time for tears,
    When Death stood by us, and we dared not weep.
    Let the seas close above them, and the dissolving deep.

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  9. #9

    Thumbs up

    Wonderful Poem!
    R.I.P. to the brave Crew.

  10. #10

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    http://video.corriere.it/aereo-raf-s...0-ec9d83679667

    "Buried with full honors at the military cemetery of Padua, 68 years after the shutdown of their bomber of the RAF, in Italy during World War II. Two years ago a group of enthusiasts of archeology had found the wreckage of the plane and the remains of four, three British and one Australian, in Copparo, in the province of Ferrara."

    From this previus article (http://www.corriere.it/cultura/11_lu...6944e2a2.shtml) some pics:

    Attachment 99779

    The gunner John Penboss Hunt and the sergeant David kennedy Raikes

    Attachment 99780

    The letter from the mother of John Hunt Penboss, Jeannette Madge, addressed to his son is the November 1, 1945

    Attachment 99781Attachment 99782

    Hunt's watch and Perkins' ring with a dedication "Chris with love"

    RIP

    Attilio

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