The Huron Expositor, 1994-08-24, Page 9C
Close-up
Historical voyage leads to France
BY TIM CUMMING
Expositor Editor
About two years ago Rob Essery
was at home in Centralia. At that
time, he knew almost nothing about
his uncle Don, a fighter pilot who
died as a war hero during World
War 11.
Last month, Rob was in a small
village in France being pinned with
a commemorative D -Day medal to
honour his uncle.
How did so much happen in such
a short space of time? This is the
story of one person's perseverance
in tracking down the uncle he never
knew.
Rob Esscry, like his uncle, is a
pilot. Even as a young boy he was
interested in aviation. One of the
first model planes he built was a P-
47 Thunderbolt, much like the plane
his mother's brother flew success-
fully in more than 50 missions.
He always knew that his uncle
had died during the war but the
only memento the family had was a
photo of his grave site in France.
"I knew what squadron he
belonged to," Rob now recalls.
"Two years ago I thought, maybe
it's time to start looking...anybody
who kncw my uncle wouldn't be
getting any younger."
The search for First Lieutenant
Donald T. Newcombe began.
"The initial stages of the search
proved to be fruitless," Rob remem-
bers. "Then something happened
that was really strange."
June Essery, Rob's mother, had
bought her son a subscription to the
magazine Air Classics. The aviation
enthusiast was reading through his
latest copy when he noticed an
article called, 'Shot Down.'
"That squadron number sounds
familiar," Rob thought to himself.
Indeed, the article featured a
photo of Newcombe with his 386th
squadron and documented his war
heroics. The U.S. pilot's nephew
says it was like a sign saying,
'You're going places with this
information.'
The article came from a book
called History of the Hell Hawks,
written by fighter group historian
Charles R. Johnson. (Newcombe
belonged to thc 386 fighter squad-
ron of the 365th fighter group,
nicknamed the 'Hell Hawks', of the
U.S. 9th Air Force)., r,
Rob and his wife Mary Peterson
went last April to a reunion of the
Hell Hawks in Virginia, where they
met the book's author. They also
met some veterans who were
acquaintances of Newcombe's.
Although having met him only
briefly, they remembered him as "a
hell of a nicc guy and a good
pilot."
Rob Essery's correspondence with
members of the squadron led to his
next big break, discovering Ninth
air force historian Remy Chuinard,
from Granville, Normandy. Former
U.S. pilot Bill Ward informed
Esscry that this French writer was
interested in information on the
crash of an unidentified plane.
By this time Essery had learned
that the plane in question had
belonged to his uncle but crashed
on July 5, 1944 in the hands of
another pilot. (Newcombe died less
than a week later, on July 11, 1944,
piloting a different plane).
After sharing this piece of infor-
mation with Chuinard, the Centralia
researcher asked for help from the
historian in finding the site of his
uncle's fatal crash. lie was told to
contact the U.S. army for burial
records.
Soon, Rob had a communique,
dated July 18, 1946, saying
Newcombe's plane went down in
Trois-Monts in Normandy.
The local man's historical journey
came to a sort of conclusion last
month when he and his wife
travelled to France. They visited the
site of thc crash of Newcombe's
original plane, which was nick-
named 'Squeaky,' after his girl
friend. The plane crashed, while
being driven by another pilot, at
Fontenay-sur-Mer. Ironically, it was
Obituaries
-� - -- -- -----. f
MELBA JEAN KOVACS
Melba Jean Kovacs (nee Friend)
passed away on Tuesday, August
16, 1994, suddenly and unexpected-
ly at the Lions Head Hospital.
Mothcr of Daniel Charles Kovacs.
Friend of Julius Kovacs. Sadly
missed by her mother Emma Friend
of Dublin, three sisters Judith of
Kingston, Susan of Australia, Linda
of Ancastcr and their families.
Friends were received one hour
prior to the quiet funeral service at
the Davidson Chapel, Lions Head
on Friday, August 19. Interment
Eastnor Cemetery. In lieu of
flowers donations may be made to
the-Dan1Ct-%Cavec'8 edoCational
fund c/o Judith Friend or the
George Funeral Home, P.O. Box
212, Wiarton NOH 2T0.
TIM CUMMING PIIOTO
HISTORICAL JOURNEY - Rob Essery started two years ago on
a journey to discover more about his late uncle, a U.S. fighter pilot
who he never knew. His trek led to France where he was given
a commemorative D -Day medal. Here, Rob holds his uncle's
uniform from his uncle's foot locker.
-9111111,
4
SPECIAL CEREMONY - In a very special service Trois-Monts,
France Mayor Dominique Leclercq presented Centralia resident
Rob Essery with a 50th anniversary commemorative D -Day medal
in honour of Rob's uncle, Donald T. Newcombe.
50 years to the day of the crash that
he visited the site. Later, Essery
would visit an aviation museum in
Duxford, England.
"It's very spooky," Rob recalls.
"It was 50 years to the day he was
killed, I was in an aviation museum
in Britain... sitting in a plane like
the one Don flew."
The culmination of two years of
research came on July 6 when the
tiny, village of Trois)vlonts, the site
of Newcombe's fatal crash, staged
a memorial ceremony attended by
A
First Lieutenant Donald T.
Newcombe.
about 200 people.
Village mayor Dominique
Leclercq pinned a 50th anniversary
medal, commemorating the
Normandy offensive on D -Day, on
Rob Essery. It was an emotional
moment for the Centralia man and
for the village.
It was very special for us but I
think it was special for them too,"
he said. "This was just a little vil-
lage...that was their connection to
D -Day, someone coming over from
Canada."
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REUNION BREAKFAST
Saturday August 27, 7 am - I pm
and
Sunday August 28, 7 am -
At the Vanastra Recreation Centre
All You Can Eat - Eggs, bacon, sausage,
homefries, pancakes and toast.
Sponsored by
Brucefield & Clinton Fire Departments
Vanastra & District Lions Club
All proceed s o community projects
"A young man...came to
be among you almost 50
years ago."
The war hero's nephew presented
the Mayor with a picture of his
uncle, to put a face on that piece of
Trois-Monts history.
I would like to present .to the
people of Trois-Monts a picture of
my uncle so all might see the face
of a young man who came to be
among you almost fifty years ago,"
said Essery in his speech. "My
uncle gave his life so that we today
might all be free people and we
must never forget his, and the
countless other young men's, sacri-
fices."
The young Centralia man recalled
that Newcombe had once written
these words in a letter:
"The Air Force is looking for
heroes and I don't think I can be
one."
In his words at the memorial
ceremony Rob Essery told the
crowd, "In my heart he is a hero."
The people of the French village
have given Essery pieces of his
uncle's downed plane.
"I never expected to go to France,
to the spot he was killed and bring
home a piece of the plane," he says.
Today, Rob has his uncle's foot
locker, a trunk which contains the
later airman's ui iforms and other
possessions. He also has a photo
album full of photos of First Lieu-
tenant Donald T. Newcombe and
his 'squadron.
The two years of research on
Donald Newcombe document the
tragedy of war. A March, 1944
picture of his Flight shows eight
pilots. Three of those pilots died
within four months of the picture
being taken. The photos of Don
Newcombe show the young pilot,
before his death at the age of 23,
with an always -present, beaming
smile or playfully puffing on a
ON. •
p N was awarded the Distinguistidd
Flying Cross for flying his severely -
damaged plane over 100 miles back
from France to land safely at his
airbase in Beaulieu, England on
March 24, 1944.
On July 11, 1944 Don Newcombe
was returning with fellow pilots
1 a mission in poor weather.
The planes were making their wily
back to the air base when they
happened to pop out of the clouds
over a major ground battle. The
planes were hit with anti-aircraft
fire. All planes returned except
one...the plane piloted by Don
Newcombe.
He was listed as missing in action'
and later declared killed in action.
His body was finally found in
March of 1946. He had been buried
by the French villagers, who
thought he was an English airman.
For Rob Essery, the long voyage
of historical discovery was a chance
to fill in a missing page of his
family's history and ensure that his
uncle is not forgotten.
"Now his name will be spoken in
the village," says Rob, after his
long adventure.
Piecing together memories of his
uncle has involved a lot of work,
observes wife Mary Peterson.
"Rob has done a lot of working
putting these pieces together."
REGAL
ICAPITAL
PLANNERS
MICHAEL STRICKLAND, B.A.
Mr. Paul Anderson, Vice -President
Regal Capital Planners, 609 William
Street, London, is pleased to
announce the appointment of
Michael Strickland as Personal
Financial Planner for Goderich and
area.
With his Bachelors Degree In
Economics and Business, Michael
Is prepared to handle all your per-
sonal financial needs, with an
emphasis on Investments In mutual
funds, RRSP's, and RRIF's. He can
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1-800-265-4166 or In Goderich at
524-5123.
Regal Capital Planners Is Canada's
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with offices coast to coast.
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, August 24, 1994-E
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NOTICE OF
GENERAL MEETING
OF
SEAFORTH & DISTRICT
RINGETTE ASSOCIATION
Notice is hereby given that a
GENERAL MEETING
of the
Seaforth and District
Ringette Association
will be held on
Tuesday, August 30th 1994
at 8:45 P.M. at the
Seaforth and District
Community Centre
for the purpose of
approving BYLAWS.'
Copies of the bylaws may be
obtained at the
Recreation Office.
Dated at Seaforth this
12th day of August 1994.
Marian VanDooren,
Secretary
Town .& Country
Tuesday Night
Bowling
starts Sept. 6/94
at P.M.
Any newcomers are
welcome Plus our regulars.
Come out for a fun evening.
For more info:
Call: 527-0863 Louise or Rea
527-0840 Card or Ratvh
527-1819 John
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