415 Squadron Association
The base of a large Maple Tree, A tribute to F/Sgt Gracie, 425 Sqn
Following the service, people gathered across the road from the monument at the Grey Village Hall for afternoon tea. Lead piper Jim Sharpe offered to take the group to the nearby town of Brafferton to visit a memorial of a crash site of a Halifax Bomber. Pipers played a few tunes while the group reflected on the historical importance of the site. The group met with Parish Council member Roger Clements and photographer Simon Penson. Simon recommended visiting the nearby town of Tholthorpe where a Canadian monument exists and later provided pictures that he took during the visit to Brafferton.
Emotional tribute. Photo Simon Penson
Pipers play and reflect at the crash site and monument of Halifax Bomber NA612 at Brafferton, Yorkshire. Six RCAF mbrs and one RAF mbr were killed. Photo Simon Penson
The quick detour to Tholthorpe proved not to disappoint. The small memorial in the centre of the village pays tribute of RCAF Sqns 420, 425, 431 and 434 Sqns. A small plaque under a Maple tree states “In Memory of a father never known, F/Sgt Willaim Brown Gracie of Peterborough, Ontario, killed in action 5 Aug 1944. A beautiful tribute to the many Canadians that never returned home.
Halifax NA612 crash site monument, Brafferton, Yorkshire. Photo Simon Penson
The group with host Flt Lt Alan Dolding
RCAF monument Tholthorpe, Yorkshire honouring 420, 425, 431 and 434 Sqns
Afternoon tea at the Grey Village Hall, Sutton-on-the-Forest