On the 75th anniversary of his death, a Battle of Britain pilot is yet to be given the burial his dedicated service deserves.

Only the sergeant’s stripes from his jacket were found after Flight Sergeant Eric Williams was shot down in combat.

He crashed in his Hawker Hurricane fighter (Blue One) at a Gravesend timber yard, off the River Thames, on October 15, 1940.

Tragically for his family – and the historians passionate about keeping his name alive – he has remained there, underground, ever since.

In the middle of an industrial area, the crash site has been earmarked for regeneration for some time and has received planning approval for a significant riverside residential development.

Dave Smith of the Medway Aviation Research Group has been involved with story of the Flt Sgt Williams, a member of 46 Squadron, for 40 years and he keeps hope that one day an excavation will take place.

He said: “We’re still waiting on the plans for the development. I think, personally, that’s when anything will happen.

“I know there was a petition people put together, which I think the family of Eric took issue with, but as far as I’m aware it’s really just a case of waiting for when the developers decide they want to move forward.

“We know exactly where the crash site is and the next thing would be to get the permission of the Ministry of Defence to recover Eric. You have to get their permission before you do anything at all because the crash is covered by the 1986 Protection of Military Remains Act.”

Mr Smith, a man with experience working on military crash sites, said it would be hard to tell how far the wreckage of the crash and Flt Sgt William’s remains had sunk.

Back in 1940 crash engineers rushed to help, but by the time they had reached the scene, the aircraft had already begun to sink into a water-filled pit. Due to the limited technology and equipment at the time, there was no chance of recovery.

It has been a long wait for people involved with the recovery of Flt Sgt Williams but Mr Smith said it was all about being patient and striking when the time was right.

The heritage enthusiast, who organised a plaque to be unveiled to commemorate the pilot at the Fort Gardens in 1990, said the wishes of the Williams family was that Eric was buried in a proper grave.

He said:“The crash site is not going to go anywhere and I’m hopeful at the right time, we can talk to developers.

“His wife Joan would have wanted him recovered and buried. I remember talking to her in 1990 on the 50th anniversary when we unveiled the memorial. She really didn’t know anything until the early eighties about Eric’s death.

“It was people like ourselves that put her in the picture. Her wish was that he would have a proper grave.”