MP visits village steeped in history
As the Member of Parliament for the Witham constituency, which following the General Election and boundary changes now includes Earls Colne, Priti recently visited the Earls Colne Heritage Museum to meet with the volunteers and trustees, as well as visiting the recently constructed memorial to the 15 aircrew of 2 Lancaster bombers that crashed on the outskirts of Earls Colne on the 20th of Sepember 1944, following a mid-air collision.
During her visit and tour of the museum, located in the old water tower on the Atlas Works estate, Priti spoke with Museum Chair Gordon Brown about their work in preserving the rich and vibrant history of the Earls Colne area, and some of the challenges facing the museum particularly with their current lease coming to an end. The visit provided an opportunity to hear from volunteers and local experts Les Berner and John Stedman on their work in recent years with cultural and heritage projects, including the recently opened memorial to aircrew that were lost following a crash just outside the village in 1944.
The 20th September this year marked the 80th anniversary of the accident, and the memorial was unveiled on farmland at the junction of America Road and Tey road, opposite Chalkney Wood. The poignant and touching memorial remembers all those who lost their lives, with many having come from overseas to serve in the Royal Air Force during the second world war.
Speaking after the event Priti said: “My thanks go to the Earls Colne Heritage Museum, the trustees and volunteers for their time and such a wonderful and insightful visit. It was fantastic to meet with so many residents who take such pride in their local history and seek to preserve it for the next generation. It was also very moving to visit the site and memorial of the tragic crash of two Lancaster Bombers in 1944, while this incident may fade out of the living memories of some, it is so important that we do all we can to keep it alive. This memorial will ensure that happens. Preserving our local history and honouring the service of those who gave us so much is paramount and educates future generations of the sacrifices made for their freedom.”