Crash at Hills Mountain, NB 23 January 1943

Today I set out to locate the crash site of Ventura AE872 that crashed at Hills Mountain, NB on 23 January 1943 claiming its entire crew. P/O B.B. Williams, RCAF (Pilot) and P/O G.A. Norriss, RNZAF (Observer) were eventually laid to rest on 27 January 1943 at St. George Rural Cemetery in St. George, NB. The third member of the crew, P/O P.W. McCarthy, RCAF (WOP/AG), was returned to Ottawa, ON for burial. My wife Sheri and I have visited the grave sites of all three of these airmen.

Taken from the accident report of the crash is the following: "P/O Williams and a crew of two took off at 0910 hours in Ventura aircraft AE872, authorized to carry out formation flying for one hour and 30 minutes with Sgt. Tovell and crew in Ventura No.658. P/O Williams and Sgt. Tovell were to share the leadership time in the formation, normally splitting the flying time into four portions.

After flying for about one hour in formation and at a time when the aircraft were heading back towards the aerodrome at a height of 2,000 ft. P/O Williams was leading; he gave the visual break-away signal and then broke away in a steep dive turn to port and Sgt. Tovell broke off in a steep climbing turn to starboard. Sgt. Tovell lost sight of Ventura 872 but later saw a fire on the ground. Eye witnesses residing some 9 miles from St. Stephen, N.B. and 37 miles from Pennfield Ridge stated that they saw two Ventura aircraft flying in formation when one broke away to the left and made a large circle, going into a steep bank and crashed into Hills Mountain which is about 300 feet higher then the surrounding country. The aircraft, Ventura 872, burst into flames on impact, exploded and was totally destroyed. All the occupants were killed.

An examination of the wreckage and of the scene of the accident disclosed that the aircraft had flown into the top of the trees in a 45° starboard wing - down, 30° nose-down altitude with considerable speed. The impact was so severe that the aircraft made a hole some four feet deep in the ground, exploded and broke into many pieces."

After traveling for a little while we located the crash site which, even after sixty-six (66) years, was still quite evident from the carter created by the force of the crash. Small pieces of the wreckage could still be found throughout the debris field.

Small fragment of Ventura AE872

After taking some GPS readings, along with some photographs to document the crash site, we stopped back at the St. George Rural Cemetery to once again visit the graves of two of the crew of Ventura AE872, namely P/O B.B. Williams and P/O G.A. Norriss. We left poppies at the foot of each their respective military markers and paused for a moment of reflection.

I'll end this posting with the first verse of a poem P/O Williams' brother "...composed when I visited my brother's grave in 1944 when I had just returned from 4 years overseas with the RAF." The first verse is as follows:

"Comrades lie around me all asleep are they
In dreams of home and loved ones
I know that they will stay
For here beneath this pine strewn ground
Our rest is deep our sleep in sound."

Miramichi veteran honours soldiers who served at two bases

When our society took over hosting duties of the Fourth Annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Service on 24 February 2009, I wanted to put the focus back on what really mattered...the Veterans themselves. Therefore I began a search to find Veterans to represent the four Commonwealth Countries who lost airmen at Pennfield Ridge and for a Veteran who served at A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (Camp Utopia).

For Camp Utopia I choose Colin Fleiger from Miramichi. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Fleiger at his residence on September 28, 2008 about his time stationed at Camp Utopia so he was a natural choice. Therefore an invitation was sent on March 26th, 2009 asking if he would lay a wreath in memory of those who served at A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (Camp Utopia) which he accepted. On September 3rd his daughter Colleen contacted me saying that her father had attended a meeting at The Royal Canadian Legion (Branch #3) in Miramichi the previous evening. During this meeting her father mentioned that he would be attending the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Service at the end of the month. The Legion then asked him if he would inquire if it would be possible for him to lay an additional wreath, which they would supply, on their behalf. We accepted their invitation which how Mr. Fleiger came to lay two (2) wreaths at the service.

Mr. Fleiger, his wife and family were all in attendance at the memorial service on Sunday, September 27th. Mr. Fleiger was quite honoured to have been invited to attend the service. Once our local paper ran the story about the service on Tuesday, September 29th, I contacted the Miramichi Leader asking if they'd be interested in doing a follow up story with Mr. Fleiger concerning his service to his country and his involvement with Camp Utopia. Not long after contacting the newspaper, Lucas McInnis contacted me saying he interviewed Mr. Fleiger and asked if it would be possible to obtain some photographs for the story. I sent him several photographs from the service, in particular two of Mr. Fleiger himself, and in the end these were the ones that were used for the story . These were the ones which were most fitting and one in particular, "Mr. Fleiger in a moment of reflection", captured the mood of the service. It was about honouring and remembering those who served.

Here is the story that was run in the Miramichi Leader on Friday, October 9th.

MIRAMICHI - When he was 16, Colin Fleiger tried to sign up to go to war.

His first try, he didn't get too far.

"He said to me, ‘you little son-of-a-bitch, I catch you back in here again I'll boot the arse right off ya.' I got scared. So I took off out the door," Fleiger reminisced about his first time trying to sign up.

It wasn't his last try.

He was told, "You got lots of time, the war's not going to be over tomorrow."

On Sept. 27, Fleiger laid down two wreaths at the Fourth Annual Memorial Service.

Colin Fleiger laying a wreath in memory of those who served at Camp Utopia

The service is held in honour of those who served at the former military bases at Charlotte County, the Pennfield Ridge Air Station and A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre, known as Camp Utopia.

The weather didn't cooperate that day and the memorial was moved from Pennfield Ridge war memorial to St. George Legion hall, but 150 people still managed to take in the event.

Fleiger laid the wreath on behalf of the six military personnel killed at Camp Utopia.

He laid another wreath for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 3 as well, which is in Chatham.

"What went on there, it was more of a memory affair there," the now 83-year-old Chatham resident said.

Fleiger seems to remember those days well. Sitting on his couch he recalls memories as if they just happened, demonstrating the length of their uniforms and the base he spent time in when he was just a teen.

"I would say there would be about, at one given time, probably 2,000 or more men there," he said, speaking of the A-30 training centre. "At that time it was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, one of the biggest in Canada."

Fleiger was embraced with the idea of laying the wreaths by those holding the event: "I don't know, must have been because I was up from this area. Maybe he was trying to get different people in different areas."

Thinking back to his former camp, Fleiger remembers how different it is today.

Colin Fleiger in a moment of reflection

"There's nothing there anymore. Trees are taking over, and grass, whatever. The building are all torn down. The only thing that's left there now is the magazines where they get the ammunition, things like that."

Camp Utopia was set up like a town, he explained, with streets and buildings set up to train the soldiers for what they were to endure in the battlefield.

"Put it this way, we're all kids. All young kids. Anywhere from probably 16 to probably 25. Now, there were senior people there as well. Officers wouldn't be much more than 25 themselves, possibly thirties," he said. "You could almost picture the fellas that were there ... They're not there anymore and I'm one of the lucky ones to get out of there."

Despite the years that should have been ahead of them, Fleiger said fighting for good was all that mattered to the young soldiers.

"We may survive it, maybe we wouldn't. And there was a lot of us that didn't," he said. "I don't know. War is not a playtoy, that's for sure. It may be a rich man's playtoy but it's not a poorman's. And it's the poor man that goes."

SOURCE: Miramichi Leader (Miramichi, NB) - October 9, 2009.

100th Anniversary of Powered Flight Dinner

This past Sunday (October 5th) Sheri & I were invited by the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, A.F.A.C. to attend the 100th Anniversary of Powered Flight Dinner. The keynote speaker was Saint John historian Harold Wright.

Here is a story that appeared in the newspaper about the upcoming event:

Aviation anniversary celebration set for Sunday

SUSSEX - A century of aviation achievement will be celebrated during a sold-out event in Sussex on Sunday with the 100th anniversary of powered flight dinner.

The event being held at the legion is being organized by the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada.

Wayne Vail, a retired major with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Armed Forces, said just over 100 people from all walks of life with a connection to aviation will join in the celebration. He said those who attend will share stories and hear new ones of aviation milestones over the past 100 years from the first flight of the Silver Dart in 1909 to present day Canadian involvement in the NASA Space Program.

There will be a meet and greet before the dinner, at which time aviation artifacts and displays can be viewed.

The roast beef dinner will begin with the piping-in of the head table and introductions with the meal served by Air Cadets and light entertainment provided by members of 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing.

Following the dinner author Harold Wright of Saint John will deliver his presentation The New Math - Add Another 70 years to this Centennial!

The remainder of the evening will be spent socializing.

"I am sure the contributions of individuals such as Alexander Graham Bell and Robert Wallace Turnbull of Rothesay, Canada's first aeronautical scientist/engineer and many others will be subjects of discussion," Vail said. "Great Canadian aircraft such as the Beaver and Otter of bush flying fame, the Avro jetliner, the CF-100 all weather fighter, the Avro Arrow, the CL-215 water bomber, and many others, and aviation companies such as deHavilland, Avro Canada, Victory Aircraft, Canadair and others will be the focus of discussions."

SOURCE: New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal (Saint John, NB) - October 2, 2009.

Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society President G. Christian Larsen and Saint John historian Harold E. Wright

Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Service (2009)

On September 27th our society, Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society, hosted the fourth annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Service. The motto used for this service was: “This coming September 27th we will honour the seventy-six (76) service personnel killed at the two former Charlotte County military bases; remember those who have since gone on to join their comrades in the sky and listen to the stories from those we still have with us."

After seven months of planning we discovered, two hours before the service was to kick off, that the only thing we had no control over was Mother Nature herself. So due to the uncertainty of the weather it was decided to move the entire service into The Royal Canadian Legion (Branch #40), St. George. This monumental task would have not been accomplished without the assistance of Legion Past President Rolland T. Chater. Mr. Chater sat in his truck at the Pennfield Ridge Memorial Site and re-directed as many people as he could into the St. George Legion. Before too long people began to pour in and soon the 2:00pm. start time had to be delayed. This was due chiefly to the size of the crowd rolling in from “the Ridge”, which was well over one hundred and fifty people by the start of the service.

Looking back on things now it was a good thing that we moved things into the Legion, even with the headaches associated with moving things last minute, because the Memorial Site at Pennfield Ridge would not have easily accommodated such a large crowd. Although as Maj. B.J. Harrison, CD, MLA (Master of Ceremonies) remarked to me at the conclusion of the service “It would have been nice to have held the service outdoors, it adds more ambiance.”

Canadian Aviation Historical Society, Turnbull Chapter
President Jim Sulis laying a wreath at Memorial Service

Wreaths were laid on behalf on the Commonwealth Countries who sustained causalities at the Air Station as follows: RAF - F/L James Stewart, DFC; RCAF - F/O John Crammond; RAAF - Pvt. Terry Hurst and RNZAF - Lila McMillan (a civilian born in NZ). ABST Robert Anderson, RCNVR laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Navy that lost a seaman (passenger aboard a Ventura aircraft when it crashed). Camp Utopia's six causalities were represented by Cpl. Colin Fleiger. who was stationed there in 1945. Cpl. Jessie Nason, a former Pennfield Ridge Veteran, laid a wreath on behalf of the RCAF (Woman's Division). In total twenty-four (24) wreaths and one bouquet of flowers were laid. The flowers were sent by Paddy Hogan, brother of Pennfield Ridge causality Sgt. John Edward ("Jacky") Hogan, RNZAF.

All in all everyone seemed quite pleased with the service.

A newspaper article, entitled "Veterans who served in Pennfield remembered at memorial service", from "The Saint Croix Courier" is here.

Additional photographs from the service.

69th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain - King's Square, Saint John, NB

During the summer of 1940, a few hundred fighter pilots stood in the way of Hitler's massive air attack on England. One hundred Canadians were among them and seven of those killed were from New Brunswick.

Dubbed the Battle of Britain, it was the first decisive clash of Second World War and the first battle in history to be fought exclusively in the air. The name derives from a famous speech delivered by Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the House of Commons; "The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin..."

The 69th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain cenotaph service took place at King's Square in Saint John, NB on 13 September 2009 at 1030 hours. Sheri and I were invited to attend the service by Charles Gabriel, President of 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, A.F.A.C.

Maj. Bev J. Harrison, CD, MLA and Rev. Canon E. Lloyd Lake, CD

Maj. Harrison acted as Master of Ceremonies and gave an overview of the Battle of Britain. Rev. Lake gave the Invocation and Benediction. His devotion and service to his country was self evident in the singing of the Royal Anthem. He was a true delight to hear speak at the cenotaph service and later at Trinity Church as well.

Marching around King's Square

Capt. Thomas White, CD leads the parade through King's Square

3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band (The Loyal Company)

The parade contingents were: 3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band (The Loyal Company); 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, A.F.A.C.; 403 Helicopter Squadron, CFB Gagetown; H.C.M. Brunswicker; Royal United Services Institute of New Brunswick; Royal Canadian Legion; Korean Veterans and 161 C.K. Beveridge Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

Capt. Doug Boyd, CD lays a wreath on behalf of Canadian Air Force

At the conclusion of the service the parade continued to Trinity Church for a service at the New Brunswick Air Force Memorial. After this service a reception service in the Lounge of the Rotary Admiral Beatty Complex.

Among those in attendance at the service was Pennfield Ridge Veteran Jessie G. Nason, RCAF (WD).

It was a very nice service...even the weather was not too bad!

Camp Utopia (Today's Remnants)

On 6 September Sheri and I explored the remnants of A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre, CA (Camp Utopia) once again. I'm continually amazed at how much things have changed over the thirty plus years I've been going out there. The pine trees that were planted in and around the former camp many years ago still stand tall. However time has stripped them of their former glory and other types of trees are starting to spring up here and there. Still the pines remain ever present, almost like a sentry standing post waiting for those who will never return. Even the wind whistling through the trees sounds somehow different to me. It's almost like it carries the forgotten voices from long ago when this was once a thriving training centre.

Hallway Through The Pine Trees

As we walk the former roads of the camp, 4-wheelers and other vehicles pass by us every now and then. I reflect quietly to myself if they know the importance of this hallow piece of ground. Between 1942 and 1946 it was one of the best-equipped and most effective Army training centers in all of Canada. This was borne out by the gallant actions of the Carleton & York Regiment in Sicily and Italy and the North Shore Regiment and N.B. Rangers in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, all of whom were principally made up of personnel receiving their advanced training at Utopia. At the memorial service coming up on September 27th, a WWII Veteran from the 2nd Battalion of the North Shore Regiment will join us to remember all those who served.

Remnants of a telephone pole

As we were heading back to the car Sheri, with her ever present artistic eye, spotted a red maple leaf on the ground. To me, personally, it was a sign that all the work putting the memorial service together over the past seven months has been worth it. The maple leaf is emblematic of our country and always reminds me of those Canadians who gave so much for the cause of peace and freedom we all enjoy today.

Lest we forget!

Meeting with 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing

On May 1st I meet with four (4) members of the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing to discuss upcoming plans for the memorial service in September. The 250 Wing have provided the colour party (flag bearers) for the service since its inception back in September of 2006. Therefore I see no reason to change this aspect. I again meet with three (3) members of the 250 Wing on August 23rd to go over the final details, etc. for the service and answer any additional questions they may have.

Terry Robertson, G Christian Larsen and Rob MacAndrew
standing in front of the Mollison monument, Pennfield Ridge, August 23rd

Today (August 24th) marks the sixth month anniversary of when I began preparations for this year's service. It's been a long and winding road but it's been a very rewarding journey none the less. To date I've been able to locate family for sixteen (16) of the sixty-nine (69) airmen killed at "the Ridge" (along with family for all six (6) civilians who died there as well) and family for one (1) of the six (6) military personal killed at Camp Utopia. Also it appears, on paper any ways, that this year's service is going to be the biggest one yet.

Both Pennfield Ridge Air Station and Camp Utopia will have former Veterans in attendance along with many family members. Also representatives from the local, provincial and federal governments have been invited to attend and several have confirmed their attendance. For the most part now everything is over with but the counting down of the days until the Memorial Service arrives on September 27th.

Also I want to thank my wife Sheri for her love and support over the past six (6) months. Putting together an event as large as this would not have been possible without her help.