The most heavily damaged four engined bomber ever to return and land

Pilot Officer Thomas Stanley Harris Whitehouse's last flight was on January 13, 1945.

The 21-year-old from Hebden Road, Oxenhope, climbed into his Halifax bomber at Snaith Airfield in readiness for a bombing raid over Saarbrucken.

On the return flight there was a mid-air collision with a Halifax of the Free-French resulting in 10ft of the nose being sheared off.

T.S.H Whitehouse, who was the navigator, was thrown out of the plane together with the bombardier.

It is presumed that neither were wearing parachutes owing to the cramped conditions.

Captain and pilot F/O Andy Wilson managed to fly the crippled plane back to England and was told off for damaging the aircraft.

It was considered to be the most heavily-damaged four-engined bomber ever to return and land in the UK.

Six years later Pilot Officer Whitehouse's wife Annie visited his grave in the village of Bertenonville and was met by the mayor who arranged her husband's funeral.

His poignant and tragic story has been compiled alongside those of 15 other servicemen from the village who lost their lives in World War Two.

An exhibition will open tomorrow in St Mary's Parish Church, Oxenhope, chronicling the lives of the local men who died in service to their country.

And as the country remembers on Armistice Day, a new millennium stone plaque bearing the 16 servicemen's names will be unveiled in the church and dedicated during a short service.

Alongside the parish council, church warden Mike Hopkin-son has been one of the driving forces behind the fitting new memorial.

With the help of fellow villagers Norma Mackrell and Pauline Sheffield, he has scoured old copies of the KN, births, deaths and marriage registers and information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to compile each dossier.

All of the stories are being combined in a booklet which Mike hopes to have in print for this weekend.

He says: "There is a memorial to the soldiers who died in the First World War in the church but nothing for those who lost their lives in the Second World War. We see this as a fitting tribute in this millennium year.

"It has taken us a solid month to research the background of each servicemen and we have discovered some incredible and very poignant stories.

"One of the most amazing stories is that of Edward Harris, 24, who was from Upper Isle Farm in Oxenhope and is buried in Oxenhope Cemetery.

"Edward Harris was a complex character and was also known as Teddy Martin and Edward Martin Greenwood.

"We initially thought they were different people until we managed to link his family background together.

"His parents were Jack and Nellie Harris (nee Martin) and his foster parents were Mr and Mrs Arthur Greenwood."

Edward Harris died on October 3, 1940, as the result of a tragic accident that happened in the sandhills at Theddle-thorpe St Helens near Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire.

An inquest four days later revealed he was walking back from the beach when an officer carrying mines stumbled and fell, causing a fatal explosion.

Mike adds: "His foster mother received a letter written by Teddy that was stained and riddled with holes.

"She knew he had died two days before the telegram arrived and it is assumed that the letter was found after the accident and posted on."

Mike says that relatives of those remembered will be attending the dedication tomorrow in the church.

Youngsters at Oxenhope Primary School have also paid their own tribute by laying crosses and poppies on the graves of those buried in the village.

The exhibition at St Mary's will open at 10.30am with a short service of dedication starting at 10.45am and two minutes silence at 11am.

Everyone is welcome.