Chatteris RAF Memorial delayed by not forgotten as pandemic puts project on temporary hold

Work on an RAF memorial for a World War Two heroes in Chatteris has been put on hold due to the coronavirus lockdown.

However, Tina Prior one of the organisers behind the memorial, which is being planned by Chatteris Royal British Legion together with other local organisations, said the special stone has been bought and is currently in storage in the town, having been transported from Wales.

The memorial, which is being funded largely through crowdfunding, will be a permanent reminder of the planes and crew who came down over Chatteris during World War Two - research so far shows there were at least seven.

In her update Tina said: "The RAF Memorial Committee have recently received several enquiries as to the status of the project. One of the key things to remember is that many things have been on hold due to the Coronavirus lockdown."

She said the stone is currently with apprentices at Stainless Metalcraft who will be working on it and a publication associated with the memorial, detailing the planes and their crews, is almost finished, but has been delayed due to printers being forced to temporarily close.

However, Tina said: "The biggest hold-up we have encountered is gaining permission from the relevant bodies within the church for its positioning. The project was initially passed to the Parochial Parish Council (PCC) it then has to be referred to the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC).

"With the coronavirus lockdown, these groups have been unable to meet, as they would normally, to discuss the proposal. Furthermore, they have had some reservations about various aspects, which require clarification. This will entail an on-site meeting with the DAC and members of the memorial committee – again, with the coronavirus restrictions – this has not yet been possible.

"We would like to assure the community, especially those who have donated money, that the project is still going ahead, but, understandably, with the recent situation we have all experienced, things are taking a little longer than planned.

The stone chosen for the memorial is a three tonnes glacial boulder . It will have a commemorative plaque on it created by the apprenticeship team at Stainless Metalcraft and will give details of the aircraft and the date of the crash.

Other details will be included on an information board next to the boulder.

The publication will contain information about the project and full details of the aircraft, the crews and the incidents surrounding the crashes.

It will also contain personal eyewitness accounts from those who saw the crashes, as well as many photographs uncovered during the extensive research that has gone into the project.

It was originally hoped the memorial would be complete by this spring when an unveiling ceremony including an RAF flypast, would have been held with the RAF, local dignitaries and family members of those airmen who lost their lives in Chatteris attending.