The 70 members of the Escape Lines Memorial Society (ELMS) gathered at the Yorkshire Air Museum for the unveiling of a bench dedicated to all those who aided wartime escapees.

A rose and plaque were also unveiled in memory of flying officer Albert Day, of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was an evader on the Belgian Comete escape line from August to December in 1941 and returned to England to fight again. Members of his family travelled from Canada to attend yesterday’s ceremony.

ELMS members from as far away as Australia and America also flew in for the reunion, as well as their Belgian and Dutch comrades.

Some members of the 22-strong French contingent were veterans of the country’s 346 Guyenne and 347 Tunisie squadrons, which operated from Elvington during the last year of the war.

RAF Elvington was unique in Bomber Command for being the only base to be operated by aircrew of another nationality. Personnel were drawn from the French bomber groups who escaped from North Africa and who were joined by other servicemen who had fled France earlier and enlisted with the RAF.

Other high level attendees on the day included the Canadian defence attaché, Major Claude Paul from the Canadian High Commission and group captain Norford, from the Australian High Commission. Ian Richardson, of the Yorkshire Air Museum, said: “This is the first time they have laid a rose and it was nice to have them dedicate the bench too today.

“It’s very good to be associated with ELMS. They are nationally renowned and it’s a very worthwhile organisation. “ ELMS is dedicated to the individuals who assisted allied escapers and evaders in the Second World War.

It encourages relationship between nations and second and third generation escaper, evader and helper families. The society said it helps men and women who risked their lives for Allied escapers and evaders in the cause of freedom.

The organisation is holding a second reunion today at Eden Camp between 10am and 5pm.