Family Prepares For 'Emotional' Goodbye Ahead Of Recovery Of WWII RAF Bomber

The family of a Second World War airman killed in action will finally be able to lay him to rest next year.

Leonard Shrubsall died in 1943 after his Short Stirling Bomber crashed in the Netherlands while returning from a raid on Germany.

The rest of the crew, based at RAF Downham Market in Norfolk, were also killed.

The plane was discovered by chance in 2008 and it has taken until now for the relatives of all seven crew members to be traced. 

At the time of Mr Shrubsall's death, his wife was pregnant with their son Richard.

Richard, now 76, said he was "chuffed" when he was told the plane and his father's remains had been found.

"I wondered what my life would've been like if he had still been alive. His cousin, she said I'm so much like my dad," he said.

The operation to lift the aircraft out of the lake near Amsterdam is expected to be completed by October.

Richard originally believed the bomber had crashed over the North Sea.

Dutch authorities plan to hold a ceremony next year and Richard’s wife Janice said they were looking forward to being there.

"It will be an emotional time," she said. "It's a chance to say goodbye even though we didn’t know him."

Relatives of the other crew members will also come from around the world to say goodbye.