THE family of an Edinburgh-born Spitfire pilot worried about how he would settle down after the Second World War ended.

Sadly Robin “Bubble” McGregor Waterston was killed before they could find out.

He died when his Spitfire was shot down and crashed into Repository Road, Woolwich, on August 31 1940.

Now he has become the sixth Second World War pilot whose death has been commemorated with a memorial stone erected by the Shoreham Aircraft Museum.

Pilot officer Waterson was born in 1917 and was one of eight children.

While studying engineering at Edinburgh University he joined 603 (City of Edinburgh) RAF Squadron as a pilot officer and was awarded his wings in July 1937.

He left home for war duties and, before being stationed at Hornchurch in Essex, had the war cry “McGregor Clan Ard Choille” painted on his Spitfire, later adding the McGregor crest.

His last flight took off at 5.51pm on August 31 when he was part of a group of planes piloted by a group with more than 2,500 hours of Spitfire flying with 603 Squadron.

Over Woolwich they were engaged by Luftwaffe flight of Messerschmitt Bf109s.

Eye witnesses saw Bubble’s plane plunge from the sky at around 6.30pm, probably shot down by one of the German planes.

It is likely he was already dead or unconscious when the plane hit the ground.

He was 23.

Sadly news of his death was eclipsed locally by the crashing of a Messerschmitt on the same day in Ann Street, Plumstead.

His remains were returned to Edinburgh, where he was cremated and his name appears on the war memorial at Warriston Cemetery.

A stone was unveiled at Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, near the site of his plane crash, on September 29.

It was unveiled by Greenwich mayor Councillor Allan MacCarthy, and the service was led by the Rev Henry Whyte.

Wreaths were laid by the representatives from the museum, 66 Squadron Woolwich Air Training Corps and 603 Squadron.

Former Battle of Britain pilots who survived the war are among those who have helped the museum raise the funds to erect memorials locally, to a number of RAF pilots, at the sites where they met their deaths.

The museum, in Shoreham Village High Street, is run by volunteers and dedicated to the memory of Battle of Britain RAF crews.

It is now closed for the winter and will reopen next Easter.