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One of the people present that day was Sal Muller, who fled to England from Belgium during the Second World War as a 15-year-old. Although his parents were Dutch, he had a British passport due to the fact that his father was born in South Africa.

He ended up joining the 320 Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and took part in missions overseas. He did his air gunner training at Tranwell.

Sal compiled a diary during these years and his close-knit family knew nothing about it until his grandson Scott found it by accident.

Geoffrey Muller with his mother Fay and Aim for the Top, the published wartime diary of Sal Muller (right). Picture courtesy of the Muller family.

It was translated by a Dutch member of the family and has now been published as a book.

Called Aim for the Top, it includes a mention of March 29, 1943, when there was low cloud at Tranwell Airfield but it was decided to do demonstration flights that day as an Air Vice Marshal was visiting.

Two Blackburn Botha Mk.I aircraft collided in mid-air, with all 10 airmen onboard the two aircraft being killed – five of which were Dutch. Sal was on a different aircraft.

He and his wife, Fay, visited their graves at St Mary’s Churchyard in 1993, the 50th anniversary of the tragedy. Sal became a successful businessman and died in 1997.

His son, Geoffrey, said: “It is a fascinating account of a teenager who wrote about his experiences as they were happening.”

To buy the book, go to www.amazon.co.uk/Aim-Top-Sal-Muller/dp/1915919088 – all proceeds will go to the Kidney Cancer UK charity.

'Hidden' wartime diary of man present at Tranwell Airfield aircraft collision in 1943 that killed 10 people is published