The skies over Dorset lit up with color as the Red Arrows flew in formation to honor six Canadian airmen who lost their lives during World War Two.
The tribute took place over Sturminster Common, marking the 80th anniversary of a tragic incident that happened on May 29, 1944.
The airmen were on a mission from Ossington in Nottinghamshire, heading toward Nantes, France, as part of the war effort. They were flying in a Royal Canadian Air Force Vickers Wellington bomber when a fellow Allied aircraft mistakenly brought them down. The RAF pilot involved did not realize that friendly bombers were in the area, and a miscommunication led to a fatal encounter.
This incident claimed the lives of six young men—Albert Spinks, William Geddes, Leonard Smith, Bruce Gordon, Charles Blackmore, and Donald McKie. Their ages ranged from just 18 to 24. Each of them had trained and prepared to fight against enemy forces, but their journey was cut short by an error from within their own ranks.
The crash happened over Dorset, and the first person to arrive at the scene was a Home Guard officer named Sidney Symes. He found one of the airmen, Donald McKie, still alive and stayed with him during his final moments. The loss shook the local community and added another sad chapter to the many stories of war.
The bodies of the six men were later taken to Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, where they were buried with full military honors. Their graves remain a quiet place of remembrance for the bravery they showed and the lives they were never able to finish living.
On the 80th anniversary of their deaths, the Red Arrows flew overhead as a sign of respect and remembrance. The flypast was watched by people gathered in Dorset and beyond, many of whom felt a deep sense of gratitude for the young Canadians who had traveled so far to serve in a war not their own.
This tribute serves as a reminder of how war can go wrong even among allies, and how the cost of such errors is often measured in young lives. The ceremony ensured that even decades later, the courage and sacrifice of these six men are not forgotten.