Plaque remembers victims lost on neutral plane
04.06.10
A plaque commemorating a plane that was shot down over the Bay of Biscay during World War II has been unveiled at Bristol Airport. It is inscribed with the names of the 17 passengers and crew killed when Flight 777 from Portugal to Bristol was intercepted by eight German fighters and shot down on June 1, 1943.
Four times a week, a DC3 Dakota would make a round trip to Portela, carrying military personnel, VIPs and other passengers without fear of danger because both sides in the war respected the neutrality of countries that were not involved. Mystery has shrouded exactly why the plane was shot down, with some believing it was because of the passengers aboard while others are convinced it was just a terrible mistake.
Many details of Flight 777 are still shrouded in mystery and the official papers on the incident are not expected to be released until 2025. On the flight was film star Leslie Howard, who was noted for his outspoken views against Nazi Germany.
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