A HISTORIAN who has researched the losses suffered by Bomber Command during the last war is trying to trace relatives of an East Lancashire RAF flight engineer.
Sgt Fred Eland, who was 22, was killed when the aircraft he was flying in, Halifax LW472, 578 Squadron, was shot down and crashed in Germany, in 1944.
He was the son of John and Florence Eland, and the husband of Margaret Eland, all of Ramsbottom.
He was buried in Berlin and a memorial, erected by forestry workers, today marks the crash site.
Neil Webster, who wants to trace his family, said: “I have done much research in relation to Bomber Command losses and was approached recently by the grandson of the former wife of one of the crew who was killed, for further details.
He lives in Canada.
“I have been contact with a researcher in Germany and we are now trying to trace other families of the crew. We do know that some of them survived the crash and became prisoners of war and we are also trying to trace them.”
If you have any information to help in the search, you can contact Neil at Old Wingate Farm Cottage, Trimdon Station, County Durham, or at email neil-sue@o2.co.uk
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