Jack Dawson Green: Memorial to Spitfire pilot shot down over Holland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-22348940

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Almost 70 years ago, a four-year-old Dutch boy watched as a Spitfire spiralled out of the sky and crashed near his home in the Netherlands.

The pilot of the plane, shot down by German soldiers during World War II, died in the crash near the village of Blaakschedijk, south of Rotterdam.

Warrant Officer Jack Dawson Green, 21 and from Australia, had flown from the RAF airfield at Ludham in Norfolk, which in 1945 was home to 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron.

The boy, Anton de Man, now 77, was always determined to remember the pilot and other Allied airmen killed in action in that area of Holland.

"I wanted to commemorate these many young men who gave their lives for us to live in a free country," said Mr de Man.

He was instrumental in getting a memorial stone for Jack and a road named after him near to where he was shot down, but Mr de Man wanted to do more.

Last year he travelled to Norfolk and laid a wreath at the Ludham village war memorial.

There he met local pilot Clive James who has played an important part in supporting Anton's quest.

" I was very moved by Anton's story," said Mr James.

"There he was, standing on Ludham airfield telling me the story of Jack with tears in his eyes.

"I wasn't aware the Dutch have held the Allied efforts during the war up with such reverence for all this time and are still willing to raise memorials to make sure the young folk in their country don't forget."

A couple of miles from Ludham in the village of Catfield, Mr James and Mr de Man found the perfect business to create a lasting memorial to Jack and fellow airmen who never came home.

Stuart Bailey runs a family business building boats and replica aeroplanes.

Their latest commission - to create a full-size replica of the Spitfire that crashed in front of Mr de Man on 17 March 1945.

"I want the number of Jack's plane to be on it,' said Anton. 'And the colours of 603 Squadron. It will be mounted on a pole, and in front of it, we'll have a memorial plate made of black stone bearing the names of 99 airmen who died for our freedom over my homeland."

Stuart Bailey said the story and Mr de Man's dedication so many years on was "amazing".

The work is expected to take three months and to cost about £25,000.

The memorial is to be placed in the village of Oud-Beijerland, in the Hoeksche Ward, at the heart of the area where so many airmen died.

Anton is now working hard to raise the funds to complete his life-long dream and has a definite target date in mind.

"As soon as we have raised the amount we need, we will set the date for the unveiling of the monument on Saturday 2 May 2015... and we will commemorate that 70 years ago the Netherlands became a free country again."

In the Netherlands, Liberation Day is celebrated each year on 5 May to mark the end of the occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.