Memorial to be held for missing RAF serviceman from Fife Corrie McKeague

A memorial will be held for missing Fife airman Corrie McKeague at RAF Honington, his family has said.

Mr McKeague, of Dunfermline, vanished on a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in September 2016.

A recently-concluded inquest into the RAF gunner’s death found that he had been crushed after climbing into an industrial bin.

His mother Nicola Urquhart has said the family are now “ready for a memorial”, with one scheduled at RAF Honington, Suffolk, on August 6.

Writing on the Please Help to Find Corrie Facebook page, Ms Urquhart said the family had “struggled to come to terms” with the findings of the inquest, but was “ready to have a memorial for Corrie”.

She wrote: “The Royal Air Force are holding a military memorial for Corrie for us.

“I will never be able to thank the RAF for all they have done and tried to do for us, for all they did for Corrie.”

She has said previously that her son’s legacy is his five-year-old daughter Ellie, who is the “spit of her dad” – and added that the memorial will be recorded for her to watch as she grows up.

The 23-year-old airman was last seen on CCTV at 3.25am on September 26 entering a service area behind a Greggs store.

Jurors noted that Corrie died at about 4.20am as a result of “compression asphyxia in association with multiple injuries”.

He was reported missing two days later, on September 26, by colleagues at the airbase – but no trace of him has ever been found.

It was found that the airman’s judgment had been impaired by drinking, but the bin had ineffective locks and wasn’t searched properly before being uplifted and taken to landfill.

Waste firm Biffa initially told police the weight of the bin was 11kg (1st 10lbs) but it was later recorded as 116kg (18st 3lbs).

The family said that the service will begin at 11am BST and “anyone can attend the service”.

Corrie’s mum requested that anyone able to wear a uniform does – with others dressing in brightly-coloured clothing.

She continued: “For all others, we would ask you wear what you feel comfortable in, bright colours would be lovely to see.

“Please, no flowers instead we will take a collection for the RAF benevolent fund.”