People can hear the astonishing story of how a young girl saw a World War II American bomber crash land near her home in Southport.
The event takes place at The Atkinson in Southport at 1pm this Wednesday (9th October 2024)
When Mrs Joan Braid talks about the B24 crash which happened at RAF Woodvale on 25th October 1944.
Admission is free, with donations welcome.
At 12.50 pm on the 25th of October 1944 Joan, aged seven, had called home for lunch at Segars Farm in Formby.
Whilst speaking to her father on the step of the cottage, an American B24 Liberator was seen to be approaching at a low level from the north-west in the direction of the control tower of the air base.
It circled round out to sea and then made a second approach. Unfortunately, still on a slightly incorrect course, making a rapid correction the plane banked, when its starboard wing hit a field boundary causing the plane to cartwheel, crash and catch fire.
Twenty veterans of the 446 Bomber group were immediately killed or badly wounded.
They were on their way to the Palace Hotel in Birkdale for R & R (rest and relaxation) following the completion of their missions.
Today in her 80s Joan Braid recalls the event as if it had happened just yesterday.
It has become Joan’s mission in life to tell this story and to have some form of memorial to remember those who lost their lives on B24 ‘Ridge Runner’ 80 years ago.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrownn@gmail.com
