- Target:
- Ministry of Defence
- Region:
- United Kingdom
- Website:
- www.bbobh.org
On 15 October 1940, during the Battle of Britain, RAF Flight Sergeant Eric E Williams’ Hawker Hurricane fighter (Blue One), was shot-down in combat. FS Williams’ aircraft crashed at Barton’s Timber Wharf, Gravesend.
Attempts to recover the pilot’s body at the time, were thwarted by the depth to which the aircraft had penetrated the ground and the waterlogged nature of the site. All that was found of FS Williams, was a fragment of one of his rank badges and it must be assumed that his body still lies where he crashed, 74 years ago.
Two official attempts were made to locate and recover FS Williams’ body in 2007; both of which failed to find anything identifiable.
That area of the crash site itself has been earmarked for regeneration for some time and has received planning approval for a significant riverside residential development. This clearly puts FS William’s unmarked grave at risk of destruction during the construction works and also the developers at risk of prosecution (Protection of Military Remains Act 1986) should they disturb a ‘war grave’, without their excavation being licensed by the Ministry of Defence.
We recognise that previous attempts to locate FS Williams’ body have failed and that the official view has been that no further recovery attempts should be made. Evidence from independent researchers however suggests that those earlier attempts may have been focused on the wrong area. There will also no-doubt have been advances in location and recovery methods and technology since the last attempt was made.
This petition calls upon the Ministry of Defence to re-open and fully review their file on the loss and attempted recovery of the body of Flight Sergeant Eric E Williams. To consult openly with the independent researchers and all other relevant parties and to undertake a further attempt to locate and recover Flight Sergeant Williams’ body, as a matter of urgency, prior to redevelopment of the crash site in Gravesend.
We the undersigned, call upon the Ministry of Defence to re-open and fully review their file on the loss and attempted recovery of the body of Flight Sergeant Eric E Williams.
To consult openly with the independent researchers and all other relevant parties and to undertake a further attempt to locate and recover Flight Sergeant Williams’ body, as a matter of urgency, prior to redevelopment of the crash site in Gravesend.
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The Bring 'Blue One' Back Home petition to Ministry of Defence was written by John Tate and is in the category Military at GoPetition.