A retired RAF Squadron Leader from Carlisle is searching for any relatives of his great uncle who died in a plane crash in North Yorkshire in 1944.

December 18 will mark the 80th anniversary of the crash of Halifax MZ538, in which Carlisle man, Pilot Officer Joseph Blackburn, was killed when it crashed in the village of Alne in north Yorkshire.

The occasion is remembered annually in the village church and this year will be particularly poignant, as Joe's medals will be presented to the church, in gratitude for the communities’ continuing remembrance of the event.

A Halifax bomber similar to one Joe was killed inA Halifax bomber similar to one Joe was killed in (Image: Supplied) Joe’s great nephew, Sqn Ldr Brian Jefferson MBE, is now searching for any relatives of Joe who might want to mark 80th anniversary of his passing.

Joe had three siblings - Annie Blackburn who married George Graham and had children Jean, Hilda, Joseph, Frank who lived in Silloth - Sarah Blackburn, who married Wilson Jefferson (Brian’s grandparents) – and Tommy Blackburn who married Joan and had children named Doreen and Joan Porter who both lived in Carlisle.

“We're looking for a kind of a spider’s web in a way,” said Brian.

“What I do feel, though, is that it would be a shame if we were to go through presenting the medals and we didn't somehow make an effort to draw in the rest of his family.”

Brian himself is now retired after a distinguished career in the RAF, having been inspired by his great-uncle Joe.

Joe died in tragic circumstances, and it is uncertain what caused the plane to go down. Joe and his crew – who were all called Joe – were on their 28th mission, just two behind the 30-limit set by the RAF.

The Blackburn story is very unfortunate,” said Brian.

“Joe's mother had died just three weeks before this crash, and he had ten days to go home, see his mother into the ground, and then go back to work and this was the first flight post the funeral.

“At that time, crews were required to do 30 operational missions and after the 30th, they would be rested, and in many cases would never fly again.

“They were on mission 28 and they were so close to the end.

“They were on a raid to Duisburg in the Rhine Valley and we're left with a little bit of a mystery but there was an explosion before the aircraft actually hit the ground.”

The people of Alne have commemorated Joe and his crew every year since which Brian said is just ‘astonishing’.

Joe's medals he won in the RAFJoe's medals he won in the RAF (Image: Supplied) “The congregation in Arles have been amazing at keeping the memory of these guys alive,” said Brian.

“They leave the names out every year on the anniversary of the crash and I just think it's astonishing that they still hold this tremendous act of remembrance, so it will be nice to present Joe’s medals to them.”