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The search for living relatives of a heroic WW2 pilot from Chesterfield is underway – ahead of an event commemorating the air crash in which he tragically lost his life.

A campaign group has launched a fundraising drive to purchase a permanent memorial to eight young men who lost their lives during the Second World War, after a Lancaster Bomber crashed while returning from a raid over Germany in 1944.

Pilot Officer Roy Dixon, from Brimington, was at the controls of the plane on March 18 1944, when the Lancaster LM464 lifted off from RAF Ludford Magna in Lincolnshire.

Their target that evening was Frankfurt, and they successfully dropped their bomb load at around 10.10pm.

Roy sadly lost his life a matter of weeks after being awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal.

At 1.40am the following morning, the bomber reached the English coast at Orford Ness, and two other Lancasters returning from the raid reporting hearing clear radio calls from LM494.

That was the last contact made by the crew of the bomber. At 1.55am, LM464 crashed in a field behind Fir Tree Farm in Syleham – and all of its eight crew members were killed.

Roy, at just 20 years old, was one of the youngest casualties of the crash – along with Flight Engineer Bertram Crosby.

Melanie Murray, vice chair of the Syleham and Wingfield Village Hall, said they are searching for Roy’s living relatives ahead of a commemorative event on March 16.

She said: “We would love to be able to contact any of Roy Dixon’s living relatives to let them know.

“We have already made contact with three relatives of other airmen.”

Only three weeks before his death, the Derbyshire Times reported that Roy had successfully executed a belly landing of a damaged Lancaster bomber after a raid on Augsburg. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his efforts.

Roy attended Tapton House School in Chesterfield, and his parents were Mr and Mrs J.W. Dixon, of Hall View Road in Brimington.

The commemorative event will take place between 1.00pm and 4.00pm at Syleham and Wingfield Village Hall on March 16.

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If you wish to donate to the fund for a permanent memorial, contact Julie Thompson at [email protected].

Campaign group launches search for relatives of heroic Chesterfield pilot who died in WW2 air crash