A museum has unveiled a memorial honouring three courageous firefighters who lost their lives in a blaze at RAF Neatishead.

The RAF Air Defence Radar Museum, which is next to the site of the tragedy, is marking its 30th anniversary and has created a new display that remembers the men killed fighting a blaze there more than 58 years ago.

On February 16, 1966, a fire broke out in the underground R3 bunker which served as the main air defence operations building during the Cold War.

Due to the secret nature of the location, the attending firefighters were unfamiliar with the site and initially thought they were attending a shed fire.

Norwich Evening News: The aftermath of the fire at RAF Neatishead in 1966. The aftermath of the fire at RAF Neatishead in 1966. (Image: RAF Air Defence Radar Museum)

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Three crew members entered the bunker to try to locate the source of the blaze but were overcome by smoke.

The firemen who died were divisional officer, Gordon Robert Dix, 52, from Holt; leading fireman Herbert James Durrant, 52; and fireman John Stuart Holman, 23, both from Acle.

The fire burned for nine days before it was finally extinguished.

The memorial plaque and Norfolk Fire Brigade poppy wreath laid in memory of the three men has been moved from the bunker to the Neatishead Room at the RAF Defence Air Radar Museum.

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The museum expressed thanks to Academy of Robotics CEO William Sachiti, the owner of the site where the bunker is situated, who facilitated the move to make it easier for the public to see the memorial and pay their respects as it is no longer possible to access the bunker itself.

The museum has also asked for help to contact the families of Mr Dix, Mr Durrant and Mr Holman so they are aware of the memorial.

If you have any contact details please email them to manager@radarmuseum.co.uk