Villagers salute WWII hero pilot

Carlisle Everiss died when his Spitfire crashed near Cowie

Residents in a Stirlingshire village have raised £12,000 to erect a statue honouring a heroic World War II pilot who died saving their village.

New Zealander Carlisle Everiss lost control of his Spitfire over Cowie in 1941 but managed to steer it towards a local wood before crashing.

The 26-year-old was pulled from the wreckage by three local residents but died after being given the last rites.

A statue in his memory will be unveiled in the village on Saturday.

Aircraft from 43 Squadron RAF Leuchars will also fly over the village at 1400 BST on Monday in tribute to the fallen hero.

We hope his family from New Zealand understand that although he died far from home, he was not unloved or forgotten Michael Mulford RAF spokesman

Local councillor Gerard O'Brien said: "What is being done in Cowie will echo for generations to come.

"This pilot gave his life for the village. If it were not for him, the village would have been destroyed and a lot of people would have died.

"Once in a generation a guy like this comes along. We should not forget what he did and the statue is a way of saying thank you."

Mr Everiss, who was one of a number of foreign pilots stationed at Grangemouth during the war, died after his plane crashed into railway sidings at the Cowie Colliery on 2 October 1941.

He was buried at Grandsable Cemetery near Polmont.

A plaque was put up in memory of the hero in the 1970s after local resident John Craig went to New Zealand to trace Mr Everiss' family.

'Sacrificed life'

A war memorial and miners' memorial were established in the village recently and prompted local businesses, the community council and local residents to raise money for a memorial to Mr Everiss.

The large rock statue with a bronze bust of the hero mounted on top will be unveiled on Saturday in his memory.

RAF spokesman Michael Mulford said: "It is very poignant and touching that 65 years after this tragedy, local people have never forgotten what happened on that day.

"This young man sacrificed his life initially to save crashing into a lot of house but also in the name of giving us peace and liberty instead of oppression."

He added: "We hope his family from New Zealand understand that although he died far from home, he was not unloved or forgotten."