ON March 17 1945, 22-year-old W/O Jack Dawson Green took off in his Spitfire from RAF Ludham, which was base to 603 Squadron “City of Edinburgh”. He made an attack in Holland then went back to the forward RAF base in Ursel, Belgium to refuel. On the second attack, he was shot down and his plane crashed near the village of Blaakschedijk in Holland.

Jack was buried in the local cemetery at Barendrecht.

Villager Anton de Man witnessed the crash when he was four years old and he has kept alive the memory of the pilot who gave his life so that people in The Netherlands could live in freedom.

In May 2010, a ceremony was held during which a local road near where the plane crashed was renamed after the pilot and a memorial stone placed on the spot where the crash took place. Jack’s 90 year old sister travelled from Australia for the unveiling.

Thanks to Anton and to Jack, Ludham will always be linked to a windswept field in Holland. Last month, Anton and his wife Jo visited Ludham and the now disused airfield where Jack set off on his final mission. They also laid a wreath on Ludham war memorial.

Pictured is Anton with Mike Fuller at the former RAF Ludham airfield.