THIS weekend will mark 78 years since seven RAF servicemen sadly lost their lives on the outskirts of Colchester.

On April 25, 1944, the British and Canadian airmen were lost after their Lancaster bomber was attacked by a German intruder near Diss, Norfolk.

Eventually, the aircraft tried to carry out a landing at Boxted airfield, which was an American fighter station at the time.

By this time the aircraft was well alight and spiralled out of control near a site that is now Severalls Business Park.

The tail plane, the only recognizable piece of wreckage ended up close to where Safestore’s reception area is now situated.

They were just minutes away from landing safely.

This weekend a service is set to take place in memory of the airmen who crashed.

In 2013 a group of friends who heard the story first hand from West Bergholt resident, David Seaborn, established a small memorial pillar to remember the crew.

Every year since they have held a memorial service to honour the airmen on the nearest Sunday of the crash date.

Chris Stanfield, an organiser of the service said: “Back in 2019 our group were contacted unexpectedly by a RAF Medical Reserve Squadron.

“The 4626 Squadron is made up of civilian volunteers who provide medical evacuation services.

“Two officers came to visit us at our Sunday venue, which is an old caravan in Green Lane, Great Horkesley.

“They have named themselves 4626 after the wartime 626 Squadron which is what the crashed Lancaster crew belonged to based at Wickenby in Lincolnshire.

“They are interested in remembering and commemorating the members of 626 squadron and would like to be part of our ongoing commemoration services.

“Obviously the pandemic put a stop to them coming to Colchester, but they will be attending this year’s commemoration.”

A group of 4626 squadron members plan on visiting the wartime base of 626 squadron in Wickenby, then go to the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincolnshire.

The squadron members will then visited the Boxted Airfield Museum yesterday and will attend the commemoration service today.

Chris added: “It would be nice if we could give the museum some publicity.

“A great deal of new homes have been built in the Colchester area and there are probably many people unaware of the museum’s’ existence and of the once huge American Fighter Airfield that once was here in Colchester.”