Wonderfully touching blog post from Lady Carnarvon honoring a fallen WW2 American pilot.
One name and one story.
Highclere has so many stories to find and, as ever, it is a question of looking in the right place.
During my research into the Second World War at Highclere, I discovered that quite a few planes had come down over the Estate. The pilots, navigators and airmen who died in the crashes were all somebody’s son: part of someone’s family with friends and a life not lived; most of them young Americans aged in their early twenties. My goal is to create a sculpture and memorial to them here in the gardens. But first I have to find who they were and where exactly they came down.
In order to help understand what happened in each case, I have a wonderful team who are caring and committed to helping. Steve, an ex BA /Concorde pilot, which means he can interpret the parts of a plane; Paul McTaggart, with his metal detectors and computer expertise; Robert, part of our security, ex-army and good interpreter of engine parts; Terry and Eddie the keepers, who have passed down knowledge of where to look, Sid and Bob with the digger, and me.
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