THE quest to erect a monument on Dartmoor in memory an RAF crew whose aeroplane crashed there during the Second World War could soon be given the green light.

Bob Jones, who lives at Grenofen, was taken by the story of the Liberator bomber (codenamed) King which in October 1942, which was part of 224 Squadron RAF part of Coastal Command, protecting ships out in the Atlantic. Coming back from a mission on the night of October 30, the damaged aircraft headed for RAF Harrowbear but never made it, crashing into farmland at Plasterdown.

Mr Jones, aged 73, has campaigned for such a memorial for years.

He told the Times: ‘I do feel it is important to remember their courage and the sacrifice that each of the men made.’

This week Mr Jones confirmed that Dartmoor National Park Authority have agreed to the placement of the memorial on Plasterdown near to where the Liberator came down.

‘They had already given tacit approval with provisos about maintenance, insurance and ownership. I have been able to give assurances about maintenance and continued ownership and now the authority has agreed to include the memorial on its insurance providing it is set in place by their conservation team.’

His neighbour, former Royal Marine Pat Patterson, has donated a recently uncovered granite post he found in his garden and Mr Jones is organising bronze memorial plaques to attach to it.

Mr Jones added: ‘The memorial post will be located on Plasterdown at map reference SX517719. The site is some 300 metres from where the Liberator struck the trees and is close to the car park at the southern end of the down. Although slightly further away than originally envisaged, the position is more convenient for both visitors and those with commoner’s rights to that part of the moor.’

It is hoped to have the post, with the plaque affixed, ready in the New Year when it will be placed at the same time as restoration work is carried out to the bank of a nearby leat.

It is hoped to have a simple ceremony to dedicate the new memorial sometime next spring and will see the 75th anniversary of the loss of the Liberator.

Mr Jones also hopes that relatives of the men who lost their lives —Flying Officer Gavin Sellar, Sergeant Harry Dawe, Flying Officer Victor Crowther, Sergeant William Fraser, Pilot Officer William Martin, Pilot Officer William A Cruickshanks along with those of the only survivor of the crash, Sergeant Dennis Pass (who died in 2015) — will be invited to the ceremony.