Harry was my great uncle. Given that we have only one photo of him, very little about him is known and I grew up being told he was shot down over Lake Como, it is guys like the Romagna Air Finders group who do much more than find old aeroplanes in the dirt. I did 17 years in the RAF so Harry was always at the back of my mind and I’ve found out more about him in the last 2 months than I ever knew. We’re all eternally grateful to the group for their commitment.
I thoroughly recommend looking through their pictures of the excavation. The conditions they were working in look pretty dreadful - wet, boggy clay. But it look like that clay has had an amazing, preservative effect on the aircraft. The airframe is not recognisable - it’s just bits, but some of the items they pulled out are in superb condition. I reckon BBMF could re-use the tyre on the tailwheel!
Anyway, thanks again to these guys for their dedication and work. Especially for the respect they paid, and the ceremony they gave Harry, when his remains were discovered. There’s another thread going on about war graves. Harry’s funeral will not be until 2019 apparently, and he will be buried in Italy. I’ll try and keep this thread updated if anyone’s interested.