Cheam airman to finally be remembered?

Kyt · Nov 23, 2008

Cheam WWII airman to finally be remembered? (From Your Local Guardian)

The memory of a missing Second World War airman could finally be honoured with a commemorative plaque.

John Trevor Bromfield, from Cheam, was 20 years old when his Liberator bomber KL654R crashed, after carrying out a peacekeeping mission in Malaysia in 1945.

For the last 60 years, campaigners and researchers have called on the Ministry of Defence to search the jungle for the bodies of the eight-man crew.

In early September, we reported how an expedition by independent explorers found both an identity bracelet, owned by flying officer Bromfield, and bones, now undergoing DNA testing.

The find led to historians securing a meeting with Government figures, in an attempt to obtain an MOD-led expedition.

But historian Joe Bamford said he was contacted ahead of the proposed meeting by the British air attache in Kuala Lumpur, offering an “olive branch’’ in the shape of a plaque to commemorate the crew.

Mr Bamford said: “A senior member of the organisation contacted me to say that he did not think the bodies would be recoverable, because of the density of the jungle there and the fact the front of the plane was extremely badly damaged by fire when it crashed.

“I don’t have any real reason not to believe him, as we spoke for over an hour, and he seemed very genuine.

“He suggested that, as an alternative, we could have a plaque commemorating the crew installed at Port Dickson museum, which is about 20 minutes from the crash site, or at the Cocos Islands, where the Liberator was once stationed, or put a memorial at the nearest British war graves site.

“So it’s not exactly what we were hoping for, as the Malaysian team who led the first expedition said less than 10 per cent of the crash site had been excavated, but it could be the next best thing. We’ll have to wait to see what the relatives say.’’ Mr Bamford said he hoped relatives would decide what option to take at a meeting, scheduled with Liberal Democrat spokesman for defence, Lord Lee of Trafford, at the House of Commons.

He said he also hoped Lord Lee would commit to asking the Government, in the House of Lords, why it has not sought before to recover the crew’s bodies or commemorate their loss.
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Antipodean Andy · Nov 23, 2008

Some progress at least and an indication of an apathetic (or just pathetic) bureaucracy.

Nostalgair · Nov 23, 2008

Thanks for the post Kyt.

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