10 Mandeguod him with his aircraft, rather like a person now with his new car or boat. Proudly showing off what he had been trained to fly. So in about 1990 I made my first trip with my father to visit the graves. We drove through the night after getting the car ferry to Calais arriving at Mantgum on a Sundaymorning about 08.00. There we laid a poppy wreath, paid our respects and left. I looked hard for more information but the internet was not as good as it is now. Piloat Howland I had always been interested in WW2 and so started to ask more questions. She told me that it had affected the family very badly and Harold’s mother could never get over the fact that she had lost her son. It was never spoken about in the house. My gran told me that she used to get letters from Holland and that the people looked after the graves of the airmen. I was fascinated by this and was determined to find out more information. I got a copy of my great-uncle’s service record which showed that he had transferred from the army into the RAF just after the war had begun. What a time that must have been for a young man. Frightening in one way, but exciting in another, as you were being trained to fly a plane. The picture I have attached shows In 2003 myself and my wife and our new born baby, Jessica, returned for a visit and again left a wreath and noticed how well kept the graves were. Of course by now the propeller was in place. A fantastic memorial to these brave young men, the youngest crew member being just 19. This time I left a note with my name and email address on. A few months later I received a message from Willem van Eif and Anke Hoekstra who said they had been visiting the graveyard and saw my flowers and message. Since that time I have written to them and they have supplied me with loads of information about the crash itself. In about 2017 – during another visit to Holland – we managed to meet them and thank them in person for the information that they have sent us. I believe that it is important not to forget these brave young men who were in the prime of their lives and were tragically lost. I feel it is my duty to keep their memory alive as much as I can.
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