A MEMORIAL in honour of two pilots who died in a plane crash in Salisbury in 1955 has been unveiled in Churchill Gardens. 

Squadron Leader Frank Cooke and Flight Lieutenant Phillip Hyden died when their Canberra Bomber crashed on November 27, 1955, in what is now Churchill Gardens. 

Residents have said the airmen’s actions that day saved the lives of many in the city when they steered the bomber away from homes.

Gordon Usher, who lives in Bishopdown, has been leading the campaign to get a memorial in place and set up The Salisbury Airmen Fund for donations.

Almost £2,000 had to be raised for the memorial, which was done through donations and grants.

The aircraft had been on a routine test flight from Boscombe Down when it crashed. 

A special ceremony was held on Sunday, which was attended by the family of Squadron Leader Frank Cooke. Reverend Canon David Linaker led a service before the memorial was unveiled by representatives of the 1010 (City of Salisbury) Squadron Air Training Corps. 

Representatives from the Royal British Legion and the deputy mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Derek Brown were also in attendance at the ceremony. 

Gordon Usher said: "I would really like to thank everyone for their help. Without quite a lot of people we would not have been able to do it. 

"I was very pleased with the turnout."

Squadron Leader Cooke was an experienced flyer in the RAF taking part in operations in Burma and the Berlin airlift before becoming a test pilot at Boscombe Down. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC) and the Croix de Guerre.

His daughter Sheila Wilson praised Gordon for his determination and tenacity in making the memorial possible.  She said: "As a family we would like to thank Gordon for working so tirelessly over the two years. The memorial is amazing. It fills us with immense pride that both my father and Phillip did not die in vain."

The memorial has come in time to mark the 60th anniversary of the crash next month.