Memorial ceremony at Holt Country Park for seven men killed in a mid-air collision 50 years ago

Date published: 23rd August 2018

The New Farm Aviation Heritage Group (NFAHG) held a memorial ceremony at Holt Country Park, Sunday August 19, to commemorate seven airmen killed in a mid-air collision 50 years ago.

The memorial has been the culmination of a substantial amount of work by the group who initially approached North Norfolk District Council (NNDC, who own and manage the park) in 2016 to seek permission to search the park for wreckage, they also collected wreckage from Gresham’s School and Kelling Hospital. The group consequently found wreckage and started about their research.

Trevor Hewitt, curator and owner of the NFAHG museum, said: “It’s one of the biggest projects that we have undertaken. It’s been a long journey. We got together over a year ago. It’s a milestone.”

There will be a lasting impression of the memorial in the form of a large board detailing the research the group put together including pictures of the wreckage found at the sites and maps detailing the journeys of the pilots. The group worked with NNDC to put the board together. Two boards have been produced, one is on display at the visitor centre in the park, the other at the group’s museum in Frettenham which is open from April to November on the second Sunday of each month from 10am – 4pm, admission is free.