Flypast salute for a tragic bomber crew... and one selfless grandfather
‘Nobility of the human spirit’
FOR decades Tony Foulds has tended a small memorial to ten US airmen who sacrificed their lives to avoid crash-landing in a park where he was playing as a child.
He has struggled with feelings of guilt about their deaths ever since – but yesterday the 82-year-old was overwhelmed when they finally got the recognition he believes they deserve.
Exactly 75 years after the Second World War crew crashed into woods to avoid landing on eight-year-old Mr Foulds and friends, US Air Force and RAF planes celebrated their valour with a spectacular flypast.
Around 15,000 people – including relatives of the airmen – attended the ceremony at Sheffield’s Endcliffe Park, where grandfather-of-four Mr Foulds goes most days to look after the memorial to the crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress, nicknamed Mi Amigo.
The story of his devotion to the men has spread worldwide since BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker met him while walking his dog in the park six weeks ago.
The broadcaster tweeted to his 500,000 followers about Mr Foulds’s wish for a 75th anniversary flypast. Yesterday that wish became a reality and the pensioner could not stop the tears as he waved to the jets flying overhead.
The nephew of one of the fallen airman said: ‘It’s awesome. I think it’s a memorial to the men but it’s as much for Tony as them, and the nobility of the human spirit.’ Mr Foulds, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, clearly remembers the events of February 22, 1944.
The Flying Fortress was limping back damaged after a bombing mission and the boys in the park watched spellbound as it circled above looking for a place to land.
Mr Foulds said he saw someone inside gesturing. ‘We thought they were waving when actually they were wanting us to get off the grass,’ he added.
The pilot ‘tried to go over the trees’ to avoid landing on the green where they were playing ‘and the next thing we knew … boom!’
At the park yesterday, Mr Foulds said: ‘If they had thought of themselves, which they didn’t, they could have landed here. It’s more than brave when somebody kills themselves rather than [you].’
He revealed that he was tormented by guilt that he lived while the airmen died, adding: ‘The guilt has taken over my life more every year.’ He began yesterday with his usual routine of visiting the park memorial for a chat with the men.
‘I put my arm on the brass, tell them what the weather’s like and what I’m doing,’ he said. ‘I firmly believe they’re there.’
By the time the flypast began at 8.45am yesterday – a perfect clear morning – the crowds were huge and the mood celebratory.
Then the low rumble of propeller engines could be heard in the distance before aircraft appeared, one by one, flying in from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. Four US F-15E Strike Eagles brought up the rear in ‘missing man formation’ with a gap for the lost wartime bomber.
Mr Foulds stood as the crowd applauded spontaneously and gave him three cheers. Choked with emotion, he said: ‘I can’t believe all this.’ Next to him was Jim Krieghauser, nephew of the bomber’s pilot John Krieghauser, 23, who gave him a handle recovered from the plane as a gift.
Also there was Megan Leo, greatniece of another crewman, Bombardier Melchor Hernandez, who said the event was ‘more than I ever could have imagined’.
Mr Foulds, who regards the lost airmen as ‘family’ and wants his ashes scattered near the memorial when he dies, is likely to be back at the park early today.