THE family of an airman who died 72 years ago after his WW2 bomber crashed into German territory will finally lay him to rest.

Raymond Charles White, who was known as John, worked as a wireless operator and was one of seven who perished after their Lancaster bomber was shot down on April 16, 1943, en route to attack the Skoda armaments works in Czechoslovakia.

The former Ringwood School boy was just 19-years-old when ED427 took off from RAF Fiskerton, five miles east of Lincoln, never to return.

He lied about his age, enlisted at 16, and failed his first RAF entrance exam.

The plane was one of 327 bombers that took part in the raid on the Pilsen factory but one of 36 that failed to return home after they came under fire from anti-aircraft flak.

Now his nieces and nephews are set to remember him at a special ceremony at the Durnbach War Cemetery in Southern Germany on Wednesday.

Gary White, of Ringwood, will be going along with his three cousins - Susan Bannell, Linda Turner and Sheliah Harris.

Linda will be accompanied by her husband Keith, who both live in Ringwood, and Sheliah will be with her husband Derek, who live at Three Legged Cross.

Mr White hopes it will give Raymond's siblings - his father Norman and aunt Freda - a chance to finally understand how their brother came to die.

For only a few years ago the family had believed Raymond to be missing in action and had it not been for one plucky little teenager they still might never have learned the truth.

"My grandparents both died thinking he was missing in action," Gary said. "It was only three or four years ago it came to light that the aircraft had been located and there was lots of information that was known but it didn't get to my grandad. They both died in the 1970s. When the plane actually crashed there was a 13-year-old boy who witnessed it. He saw it hit the ground and explode. The Germans blasted the wreckage."

Peter Menges - now in his 80s - saw the plane crash at a field outside a village near Frankfurt. It formed a large crater, of which the Germans were only able to recover two of the crew - thought to have been Sgt Ronald Cope and air gunner and pilot officer Bruce Watt.

Gary added: "There was a group of enthusiasts in Germany and I think what happened was Mr Menges made it his life's ambition to tell everyone there's an aircraft down there, go in and excavate and he was finally listened to.

"We're going to represent the family for the actual burial itself and to be part of it."