New Zealand Family Attends Unveiling of WWII Bomber Crash Memorial in Belgium

A memorial was officially inaugurated in Wellen, Belgium, at the crash site of the Halifax HX270, an Allied bomber that went down in December 1943. The ceremony brought together local residents and relatives of the airmen, notably the family of navigator Sidney Colin Mackie from New Zealand.

The Halifax HX270, belonging to the 35 Squadron (RNZAF), was returning from a bombing mission over Frankfurt when it was hit by German anti-aircraft fire over Limburg. The aircraft crashed in Wellen, near the border with Alken. Three of the seven crew members, pilot James Wright, navigator Sidney Colin Mackie, and gunner Thomas Robson, lost their lives. They were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and are buried at the Heverlee War Cemetery.

The crash site had faded from public memory until amateur researchers and metal detectorists Hans Loix and Bart Smets rediscovered it in 2020. A year later, they successfully contacted the relatives of the deceased airmen. The monument was conceived and realized entirely through the initiative of Loix and Smets, fostering a connection that led to an emotional visit from the Pickerill family from New Zealand.

"My personal drive is to keep the youth remembering this," said Bart Smets, emphasizing the importance of honoring those who fought for their country and never returned. The ceremony included a tribute at Sidney Colin Mackie's grave in Heverlee before the unveiling of the monument in Wellen. Robyn Pickerill Mackie, niece of Sidney Colin Mackie, expressed deep emotion and gratitude, stating, "You are fantastic people, I cannot thank you enough for the support. This tribute is a great honor for us."