At 2.30pm yesterday (Saturday, May 21) people gathered at West Cemetery car park along with members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
The gathering then paraded to the five war graves where they were joined by the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham and the new mayor of Darlington.
The two Australians and three Canadians were killed as their Wellington caught fire on a training exercise over the Durham coalfield.
![The Northern Echo: Denis Grubb who is the chairman of the Stockton & Thornaby Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Denis Grubb who is the chairman of the Stockton & Thornaby Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Denis Grubb who is the chairman of the Stockton & Thornaby Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
There is a long standing belief that the pilot, Flight Sergeant Rambler David Roberts, deliberately steered his stricken aircraft between the houses of Crook and Roddymoor so that he avoided crashing into the residential areas.
They were all buried five days later, in Darlington’s West Cemetery, side by side, together, but a long way from home.
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near Crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
Read more: The five airmen who were killed when they crashed into County Durham farmland
More pictures of the memorial service can be found below:
![The Northern Echo:]( "The Northern Echo:")
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Mayor Anne-Marie Curry Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Lt Col P Theriault Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Lt Col P Theriault Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured Lt Col P Theriault Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured HM Lord Lieutenant Sue Snowdon Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured HM Lord Lieutenant Sue Snowdon Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook, pictured HM Lord Lieutenant Sue Snowdon Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
![The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT]( "The Northern Echo: Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT")
Service of Remembrance in West Cemetery, Darlington for crew who died in 1942 when the Wellington Bomber they were in came down near crook Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT
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