It was a lovely, sunny spring day yesterday, so I decided to ride my bike up to the top of Reigate Hill. I'd ridden along the path that forms part of the North Downs Way many times before, never taking much notice of a large clearing at the side of the path until I read a story in our local paper last week.
Local residents had erected a bench in the clearing to honour the nine US airmen who died there when their B17G Flying Fortress crashed into the hill on another March afternoon, 57 years ago. 
The B17, from the 547th Battle Squadron, 384th Bomb Group of the United States Army Eighth Air Force, was returning to its base at Grafton Underwood in Northamptonshire after a bombing mission over Leipzig.  The weather that day, 19 March 1945, was overcast, with the ceiling down to 300ft. Reigate Hill is 756ft above sea level. The B17 was flying low, estimated at 200ft, and apparently had been having engine trouble. Witnesses reported seeing the bomber trailing black smoke as it passed overhead.
 The crew of the doomed B17 were: 2nd Lieutenant Robert S Griffin, the pilot; 2nd Lieutenant Herbert Geller, co-pilot; 2nd Lieutenant Royal Runion, navigator; Sgt Robert Marshall, flight engineer; Sgt Phillip Phillips Jnr, radio operator; Sgt Donald Jeffrey, bombadier; Staff Sgt Robert Manbeck, tail gunner; Sgt William Irons, turret gunner; and Sgt Thomas Hickey, waist gunner.
 We will think of them and the sacrifice they made each time we go up Reigate Hill. On a nice day there is always a lovely view to be had there. Now the view from the new bench will provide an added sense of perspective.
11:43:53 AM 
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