The Mark I Lockheed Hudson bomber being flown by Anton Marie ten Herkel and Willem Hijkoop crashed into trees at the house known as Brigton on the Gilmerton estate — the family home of MEP John Purvis — in Cameron, on August 10, 1941.

Mr Purvis, then three years old, was playing a short distance away when the aircraft came down during a training flight.

His 18-month-old brother and cousin, who were walking down the farm road only several hundred yards away, had to run for their lives as the plane struck trees beside them and exploded.

The incident was hushed up at the time, like many during the war, because of security.

Mr Purvis only learned the identities of the men when a local resident, Gordon Ball, chairman of Cameron Community Council, began researching it recently.

Mr Purvis has recently had a plaque installed at Brigton commemorating the pilots, members of 320 Squadron (Dutch) based at RAF Leuchars.

Tuesday morning's service was attended by the niece of one of the airmen, Mrs Marja van den Boogard-Hijkoop, her husband, Leo, her brother and her daughter.

The service, which was conducted by the Very Rev Alan McDonald, minister of St Leonard's linked with Cameron Kirk, was also attended by representatives of the Dutch Air Service, the Dutch Consul, Michael D. Hughes, the Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Margaret Dean, and OC Wing Commander David Hazell of 43 (Fighter) Squadron, RAF Leuchars.

Mr Purvis said he had wanted to ensure that Mr ten Herkel, who was 22, and Mr Hijkoop (30), who are buried in the graveyard at Leuchars, will finally be recognised.

He said: "It seems such a shame they haven't been already.
"They were two young men who escaped from occupied Holland, came over here to defend us and liberate their own country.

"They gave up their lives to do that-we owe them some recognition."
Mr Purvis vividly remembers the dramatic moment the aircraft crashed.

He said: "I was playing a few hundred yards away when it came down.
"My brother, who was only one-and-a-half at the time, was even closer.

"He was literally where the plane crashed, walking with a cousin down the farm road, and they had to run.

"It hit beech trees and came down on the lawn. It was amazing it didn't smash into the house. The plane burst into flames and exploded.

"I recall my mother running from the house and breaking the heel of one of her shoes in her haste to reach us.

"For many years later we would find bullets in the fence posts."
Mr Purvis had been told the airmen were Belgian and tried to find out more about them in Belgium, but without success.

Gordon Ball, of Cameron, chairman of the community council, was researching his family history and heard of the story.

He spent 18 months investigating, with the result that Hijkoop's niece, Marja, will attend the ceremony.

The elderly sister-in-law of Mr ten Herkel, his only surviving relative, was also traced but she is too frail to attend.

Mr Ball said his investigation had been fascinating, sad and emotional.
He discovered that Mr ten Herkel had been a pharmacist's assistant and Mr Hijkoop a policeman in the Hague.

Mr Hijkoop paid for flying lessons in the 1930s with his policeman's salary as he foresaw that some day the police would have a flying force.

When Holland was invaded he escaped to the UK and became part of the Dutch 320 Squadron formed at Leuchars.