A MEMORIAL service has been held again in tribute to a Canadian air crew which died during a Second World War training flight.

The six airmen perished when their Wellington bomber crashed above Oakworth on January 2, 1944.

A commemorative service – overseen by Oakworth Village Society – is staged annually at the crash site, off Tewitt Lane.

More than 100 people attended the latest commemoration, yesterday (January 8).

The ceremony was led by Janet Armstrong, of the village society, with a prayer and blessing from Oakworth vicar the Rev Jemma Sander-Heys.

Major Clark Sollows, from the Royal Canadian Air Force, spoke about the "long-standing friendship" between Canada and the United Kingdom and how grateful he was that so many people continued to remember his countrymen.

The airmen who lost their lives were pilot Warrant Officer Class 2 Ernest Israel Glass, navigator Flying Officer James Justin McHenry, wireless operator and air gunner Warrant Officer Class 2 Jack Henfrey, air bomber Warrant Officer Class 2 James Edwin Dalling and air gunners, sergeants Norman Willard Crawford and Emery Savage.

"I would like to thank everybody for making sure these men are not forgotten," said Major Sollows.

Wreaths were laid.

Amongst those present were West Yorkshire Deputy Lieutenant Robin Wright, the Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Martin Love, Keighley MP Robbie Moore, town mayor Councillor Luke Maunsell, village society president John Sugden and representatives of West Yorkshire Police, the Royal British Legion and Keighley air cadets, who provided a guard of honour.

Also in attendance was Philip Handley – a great nephew of crew member Jack Henfrey – and Oakworth woman Barbara Wood, who was nine years old at the time of the tragedy and visited the crash site with her older brother the following day. Her father was a member of the village's fire service, which was first to arrive on the scene that fateful night.

Following the service a reception was held at the village hall, where refreshments were served and information about the airmen was displayed by the Men of Worth Project.

Councillor Maunsell said afterwards: "As always, it was a beautiful service in memory of the Canadian airmen who tragically died in the plane crash.

"The village society has helped keep the memory of these brave men alive, as has the Men of Worth, for three decades now and the community is indebted to them for doing so."