9th September , 1944 allied forces were besieging Le Harve to help support this Bomber command sent a force of Heavies to blast the defenders one of these planes was Halifax NP681, OW-J flying from Linton-on-Ouse the plane and crew were part of 426 Sqn R.C.A.F .
Taking off in the early morning the flight was uneventful until over the target but due to cloud the the planes turned home NP681 was unlucky to have run into what little flack that was put up and reported some damage and attempting to jettison the bomb load of 16 x 500lbs over the channel but only 4 were left at the bottom of the water 12 hung up, later over Reading the port outer exploded into flames the pilot F/o J.A.Wilding ordered his crew to leave the stricken plane 5 successfully bailed as Wilding and the flight engineer Sgt J.F.Andrew struggled to control the bomber as the last man jumped the port wing disintegrated sending the bomber into a dive hitting open fields near Newnham Murren where the remaining bombs detonated both F/o Wilding and Sgt Andrew were lost .
On the 21st May 1960 locals erected a cairn and plaque commemorating the 2 crew whose sacrifice saved many on the ground and the 5 crew 2 the cairn stands at the junction of 2 roads named in Wildings and Andrews honour .
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