HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-11-08, Page 31Wednesday, November 8, 2006
TIMES -ADVOCATE
31
A Centralia Halloween
Best costumes —The annual Halloween bash at the Centralia Community Centre saw
about 45 kids (and some adults) show off their scary costumes.The event has been a
Halloween tradition in the village for more than 50 years.The Crediton and District
Optimists have hosted the event for the last four years, with many local businesses kicking
in prizes. Seated in front from left are Tina Premont, Brooke Gibson and Christian Premont;
standing in the middle are Cody Fulford, Nicole Fulford and Merrick Premont; in back are
Emma McVeeney, Meagan McVeeney, Jason Essery, Scott Campbell, Jessica Foran Costain and
Lyndsey Simpson. (photo/Scott Nixon)
Guides and Sparks party
Exeter
Halloween —
The Exeter
Guides and
Sparks held its
Halloween
Party Oct. 25
at the Lions
Youth Centre
in Exeter.Top
left front from
left are
Christina Ford,
Madison
Westlake,
Mackenzie
Cassidy, Nicolle
Ford, Neilla
Keller, Brooke
Northover and
Alyssa Parent;
back are
Dominique
Baker, Hailey
Meikle, Carley
Stewart,
Heather East,
Anika Holland
and Jordan
McCarter.
Bottom photo,
front from left
are Kassidy
Warren, Megan
Berg and Katie
Hartman; back
are Jordan
Butler, Kasie
DaSilva, Darian
Tomlinson,
Jamie Clark,
Shelby
Heywood and
Jennifer Perry.
(photos/Nina
Van Lieshout)
Lest We Forget:
EXETER - Zella (Batchelor)
Gibson Zella was an Officer with
the RCAF
Women's
Division (WD's)
during the
Second World
War.
Over 17,000
women served
in 40 different
trades with the
WD's. Their slo-
gan, "We Serve
That Men May
Fly" was very
fitting, as they
capably filled
positions previ-
ously held by
men, allowing
men to serve in
combatant
duties.
with Gibby at Goderich and Camp
Borden, where they received their
pilot's wings,
Dec. 19,
1941. Gibby
went over-
seas in
January
1942, and
was sent to
North Africa
after two
months in
Britain. He
flew
Hurricanes
and Spitfires
with 417
Squadron,
fighting on
the 8th Army
side during its
retreat to
Alexandria,
and when the 8th
Army started its
push of over 1500
miles, his
squadron backed
up the offensive.
Just before the
fall of Tunis in
May 1943, he was
sent to hospital
after contracting
malaria. He was
sent back to
Canada, spending
28 days leave
recovering in bed
at his parent's
home in
Kingsville. In
August 1944,
Gibby took a
Conversion
Course at
Hagersville on
Avro Ansons. He
was posted to No. 14 Photographic
Squadron Rockcliffe, where he met
an attractive WD Officer by the
name of Zella Batchelor.
I visited Zella in July to interview
about her day's serving with the
WD's. I asked her how women
serving in the RCAF were treated
by civilians. Zella described an
incident in Toronto when she and
three other WD's were dining in a
restaurant. One civilian woman
made a snide remark about women
in uniform. Zella stated she told
the woman, "Not only are you
insulting me, you are also insulting
the King's uniform" then broke into
tears.
We must never forget those like
Gibby and Zella who served their
country to give us the freedom we
enjoy today
Information and biography about
the Gibsons was contributed by
Wally Fydenchuk.
Gibby (front seat) and Larry Frost
in Fleet Finch training at Goderich
June 1941.
While stationed at
Rockcliffe, Zella
Batchelor met a
colourful RCAF
pilot by the name of
John "Gibby"
Gibson. The two
married and even-
tually moved to
Exeter when
"Gibby" was posted
to RCAF Station
Centralia as a flying
instructor.
The Gibsons made
Exeter their retire-
ment home. In
1993, I was invited
by the Gibsons to
the annual
"Chipmunk
Reunion" hosted by
Gibby and Zella.
The event was
attended by former
flying instructors who had flown De
Havilland Chipmunks at the
Primary Flying Training School
located at RCAF Station Centralia.
Gibby related the time when the
tail assembly of his Spitfire was
shot to pieces by shell fire, and
thinking that he would be unable to
land it, he started to bail out.
When he was half out of his plane,
he saw that he had good altitude,
so he climbed back in, fastened his
safety belt, pulled the aircraft out
of the spin and landed it safely at
his drome. "When I got out of the
plane and looked it over I thanked
God for the excellent workmanship
of the English plane builders. "One
would have to be there to receive
the full benefit of Gibby's descrip-
tion. Sadly, Gibby died in 2001.
Larry Frost was killed Dec. 9,
1943 while serving 450 Squadron.
Like Gibby, Larry was from
Kingsville, Ontario and had trained
Zella (Batchelor) Gibson Zella
was an Officer with the RCAF
Women's Division (WD's) dur-
ing the Second World
War.
Music in
Kirkton — A
full house at the
Kirkton-
Woodham
Community
Centre enjoyed
the music of
Canadian Open
Fiddle
Champion
Scott Woods
Nov. 3.The con-
cert, with
Woods backed
up by his four -
piece band, was
on behalf of the
Kirkton United
Church.
(photo/Pat Bolen)