A new tribute to hero pilot of WWII

American died on Gleniffer Braes field

- EMYLIE HOWIE

A new monument honouring a US pilot who died near Howwood during the Second World War has been unveiled.

Tennessee-born 2nd Lt Herman C “Jack” Carey took off from Renfrew Airport on December 28, 1943 to deliver a P-47D Thunderbolt aircraft to Burtonwood Air Base in Cheshire.

However, tragically, he never reached his destination as the soldier's plane got into difficulty through heavy mist and low cloud and collided with trees before crashing into a field on the Gleniffer Braes.

Three years ago, after the previous memorial was damaged by vandals, local farmer David Jamieson and his son Alan recovered and reassembled what they could and then Howwood Community Council vowed to erect a new monument in tribute to the fallen hero.

Dave Cooper, secretary of the group, explained the process.

He told the Express: "We've been working for the last three years to replace the existing memorial, which had been in place since 2003 but was badly damaged.