AN AMERICAN airbase has paid tribute to a serviceman who died in a crash with a lorry just two months after he arrived at the Suffolk station.John Jacob Biram, a 26-year-old flight commander at RAF Lakenheath, was killed in the accident on the A1304 in the early hours of Saturday.

AN AMERICAN airbase has paid tribute to a serviceman who died in a crash with a lorry just two months after he arrived at the Suffolk station.

John Jacob Biram, a 26-year-old flight commander at RAF Lakenheath, was killed in the accident on the A1304 in the early hours of Saturday.

Flt Cdr Biram, who moved to Lakenheath on July 11, was driving his brown Proton Persona in thick fog when he was in collision with a 50-tonne tipper lorry.

A spokesman from RAF Lakenheath said: “We are a very close-knit community here so it has hit us all. It is always a shock when something like this happens.”

The airman, originally of Webster in Massachusetts, had previously been stationed in Italy and Korea before joining the 48th Munitions Squadron at Lakenheath.

It is not known what caused the crash but the spokesman said Mr Biram would have had to complete a driving course and test at the base before he was handed a licence to drive in the country.

He added: “It can be a little awkward driving on the English roads at first but the base has a programme to train up servicemen to drive on them.

“Everyone has to take the test after a day-long course before we get a licence to drive on and off base.”

A police spokesman said inquiries into what caused the accident, which left the main A1304 road - Barbara Stradbroke Avenue - blocked for seven hours, were still ongoing.

Flt Cdr Biram was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Anyone with information about the crash or who saw the vehicles before the collision should call Pc Michael Marlow or Sgt Christopher Fiske at the Bury Road Policing Unit via the central switchboard on 01473 613500.