How close WWII came to my family

[Omag 2.0]

It's been a while, but reading Hagar's post on local history, i've done a new research on a fact that happend during WWII in my home village.

In 1944 a Canadian pilot John C. Younge crashed his spitfire IX in a field near Melle.

The field happend to be property of my grandfather. He was the first to arrive at the scene of the crash, only to discover there was nothing more that could be done.
He never told me much about it, cause later on he was deported to a workcamp in Germany (saltmine) and he never talked about that period in his life... Surprisingly he came to terms with it i suppose, cause i've always known him without anger towards modern German people and he even liked going there... ( no offence Heretic and countrymates, you know what i mean)

The family of the pilot came to Belgium about 12 years ago, and met my parents. It's quite strange when the war comes that close to your own family.

I've found an English text on the accident. Choose east-flanders and just follow the text until you reach Melle.

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuro ... tes-en.asp



Maccabre coincidence? The pilot was known to be passing under bridges in the region from time to time... See, there once was a real-life Ozzy too...

[Hagar]

Very interesting Omag. I had problems finding the text you mention. The only thing that came up on a site search for Melle was this PDF file.  http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/brussels/pdf/route9-en.pdf

MELLE

When approaching from Ghent via
Brusselsesteenweg (N9), continue on past the bridge
under the E17motorway, and at the second light take
N447, Heusedenbaan, in the direction of "Heusden"
and "Destelbergen". Take the third street to the right,
Wevershof (the name "John C. Youngestraat" also appears underneath).
The monuments stands on the left corner at the end
of the Wevershof, where John C. Youngestraat begins.

On 6 September 1944, John C. Younge took off in his Spitfire IX
from Northern France for a reconnaissance
flight over Dunkirk, Bruges and Ghent. After
strafing a German ship on the Schelde, he was hit by
anti-aircraft fire and went down near the
Heusdenbaan. The monument is a block of Balagem
stone, on which two small bronze plaques have been
placed.
On the first there is a map of the world and the
picture of the pilot "J.22819 J.C. Younge, Flight Lieu-tenant
RCAF, Camrose, Alberta, Canada", with an
English text: "This memorial is dedicated to the
memory of John Campbell Younge who gave his live
during the liberation of Melle 6 September 1944. His
legacy is a free Belgium and the friendship that was
formed between the people of Melle, Belgium,
Camrose, Alberta, Canada and Saint Paul, Minne-sota,
USA" "Dedicated 4 September 1994" followed
by the "Act of Remembrance" by Laurence Binyon.

The second plaque bears a Dutch translation of the
English text. The connection with St. Paul, Minnesota,
lies in the fact that the niece and nephew of J.C.
Younge, who live in St. Paul, undertook the research
in 1992 to discover where their their uncle died. This
resulted in the monument's being erected and inaugurated on 4 September 1994. (photo 5)

(reported by Mrs. A. De Smet).

I can't see any mention of flying under bridges so maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.

[Omag 2.0]

Oh, sorry, it isn't in the text. We heared it from his family. Seems the pilot was quite a dare-devil.

And that's the text, i had to alter the link cause the direct one wasn't working.

[ozzy72]

At least I now know who I was in a past life Cheers Omag

Ozzy (pass the MkIX and find me a bridge)