On 15 September 2014 some of the members of the Royal Wootton Bassett Branch travelled to Lower Seagry to attend the unveiling of a Memorial dedicated to two World War II RAF Pilots, namely Flying Officer John Brewster and Pilot Office Harold Williams, who lost their lives in an air crash over Lower Seagry near Chippenham in 1941.  

More than £5,000 was raised for the memorial to be erected in the village of Seagry, near to the crash site.

The two pilots, Flying Officer John Brewster (RAAF) from Hartwell, Yorkshire and Pilot Officer Harold Williams (RAFVR) from Putney, London, were both pilots with 118 Squadron and were on a training flight when their Spitfires collided near the village of Seagry on April 6th 1941.

The Unveiling Ceremony was attended by over 500 people which included a fantastic 10 minute Spitfire display over the village.  During the ceremony nine wreaths were laid.  Mr. James Gray MP for Wiltshire laid a wreath on behalf of the Nation, along with the Mayor of Chippenham and the Deputy Mayor of Malmesbury.  Wreaths were also laid by relations of the two pilots,  John Wheelwright, nephew of John Brewster and Lorna Heads, cousin of Harold Williams, and another wreath was laid by Mr. Doug Wiltshire, a Seagry resident who remembered the plane crash. 

The ceremony ended with a fly-pass by two Hornet Moth aircraft followed by the unmistakeable sound of the Spitfire engines much to the delight of the crowd. 

One of the organisers, Mr. Painter, said the ceremony which was lead by the Brass Band from Royal Wootton Bassett went very well and was much appreciated by people of all ages, from Air Cadets, to members of the Royal British Legion and others who had served in the Second World War.

LEST WE FORGET

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Video of the day's event can be seen on Youtube using the links below

To view Full video of the event  - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DpPSwSlrrs

To view Short video  www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkBmQkTJEPA

or  www.youtube.com/channel/UCyFL9JUFWZw_c223OUc-q7A