On 9th November at 11 a.m., Seaton Village will hold an unveiling ceremony to honour the crew of RAF Whitley Bomber (AD685), who tragically lost their lives in a 1944 training accident near Slingley Hill.

Led by Seaton Parish Chair Alyson Slater, the ceremony will be attended by Grahame Morris MP, representatives from the Royal British Legion (RBL) Seaham Branch, Seaham Air Cadets, and Father Kennedy. The memorial, designed and crafted by Martin and Trudy Gardiner of MW Fabrications Limited in Gloucestershire, commemorates the young men who travelled across the Atlantic from Canada to support the Allied war effort but lost their lives in a training exercise before they could serve on the frontlines.

“Training for war is a dangerous endeavour, and exercise-related losses were, and still are, a painful reality,” remarked Alyson Slater, Seaton Parish Chair. “It is essential, especially on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, to remember and honour all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, both in operations and in training.”

On 17 October 1944, the Whitley Bomber (AD685) from 19 Operational Training Unit (OTU), RAF Kinloss, crashed near Slingley Hill, claiming the lives of five Canadian and one British crew member. The memorial will feature six silhouetted aircrew as a permanent tribute to each of the fallen:

• Flight Officer Kenneth Reed (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Flight Officer Walter D. Wall (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Sgt Leslie J. Olmstead (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Sgt Ernest W. Leivers (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)
• Sgt John F. Dowding (Royal Canadian Air Force)
• Pilot Officer Alexander L. Sunstrum (Royal Canadian Air Force)

“This memorial recognises the courage of these young men who undertook the perilous journey from Canada to aid the Allied effort and made the ultimate sacrifice,” added Alyson Slater. “The ceremony reflects the enduring gratitude of the Seaton community and honours the continued service and sacrifices of all armed forces personnel—past, present, and future.”