Hayley MaceFor more than half a century, the tragic story of the events which unfolded in the skies over Kessingland on April 22, 1944 have lived on in the village's collective memory.Hayley Mace

For more than half a century, the tragic story of the events which unfolded in the skies over Kessingland on April 22, 1944, have lived on in the village's collective memory.

Yesterday, the bravery and sacrifice of 10 American airmen who were killed when their bomber was shot down over the north Suffolk village 66 years ago was officially marked at a memorial dedication service.

More than 200 people, including dozens of United States Air Force servicemen and women, gathered at St Edmund's Church for a service led by the Rt Rev Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, and Canon Lyndy Domoney, Rector of Kessingland, in memory of the plane's crew.

Twenty-six USAF planes took off from Seething Airfield in south Norfolk, but before B24 Liberator 843 Repulser could get home after bombing targets over Germany, it was shot down over Kessingland, near Lowestoft.

Part of the 715th Squadron, the 10 men on board were on their third mission since arriving in Seething in the early spring but the Luftwaffe took full advantage of their unusually late return to the UK on that fateful night, caused by poor weather before take-off, and dispatched a force of heavily-armed ME 410 fighters to intercept the bombers.

Having never forgotten the drama of that night, villager John Blowers, who witnessed the plane crash aged just 11, joined forces with Kessingland Parish Council and St Edmund's Church Council to raise money to pay for a memorial stone to be carved in memory of the airmen and put in place in the grounds of St Edmund's.

Bill Baughman, the nephew of the Repulser's pilot Eugene Pulcipher, was at the church for the service yesterday and said he was moved to see so many locals paying their respects.

Mr Baughman, who lives in Oregon on the west coast of America, said: "It's very touching to be here and I'm extremely grateful to all the people involved.

"It has been great to hear the complete story of what happened to the Repulser. All my grandmother got at the time was a telegram, which didn't really explain anything.

"We always thought they had been shot down over the Channel and crashed somewhere nearby, so it has been incredible to hear the memories from the village."

Military standards were raised and bugles were sounded in the churchyard for the formal dedication of the commemorative stone, which bears the names of 2nd Lt Eugene V Pulcipher (pilot), 2nd Lt Elmer P Meier (co pilot), 2nd Lt George S Fahr (navigator), 2nd Lt William Carcelli (bombardier), Staff Sergeant Chester J Romanosky (radio operator), S Sgt James R Hardin (gunner), Sgt William H Durant (gunner), Sgt William S Davis (gunner), Sgt Maynard H Young (gunner), and Sgt Carl E Spellman (gunner).

Twelve other relatives had planned to come from all over America to be at the memorial event, but were unable to travel because of flights being grounded. A film crew from RAF Mildenhall recorded the service so it can be sent to the families.