Pilot Hight memorial dedicated in Leven Avenue

A memorial stone to Pilot Cecil Hight has been placed at the Walsford Road, Benellen Avenue and Leven Avenue junction on the west side of Meyrick Park.

He was shot down during the battle of Britain and died on this spot during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

The stone was dedicated by St Peter’s rector Ian Terry on the 70th anniversary of VJ Day which marked the end of the Second World War. Dr Terry’s wartime predecessor Headley Burrows, father of Bishop Burrows, was in the area during the overhead battle and went straight to the body.

“We’re here today to honour a young man who died here, far from home,” said Cllr Lynda Price on Saturday.

“He was a New Zealander determined to fight and do his bit for the war effort, so he joined the RAF. His plane came down around 50 yards from this very spot.”

Also present was Tom Harrison, who had seen the plane fall as he watched the dog fight from Branksome, and Margot Mabey, widow of another witness Dennis who was 13 at the time.

The body of the young New Zealand pilot was found in the back garden of a house in Leven Avenue. The occupant and his wife, Alfred and Edith Hoare, made a memorial in the garden but three months later the house was bombed and Alfred was killed.

In the town here is Pilot Hight Road named after Cecil Hight.

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