EMOTIONAL VISIT–
Relative’s wartime grave finally seen
Family of a pilot from England who died in a Medicine Hat training flight during the Second World War were finally able to stand by his grave on Sunday.
“It was very emotional. Even though I never knew him, he was a close member of the family,” said Margaret Halsall, who travelled to Medicine Hat from England to make the connection.
It was Margaret’s uncle, her mother’s brother, who died on Jan. 9, 1944 at the age of 19. Sgt. Thomas Dick was on a training flight in a Harvard aircraft when the accident occurred, cause unknown. He was posthumously awarded his flying wings.
Margaret’s mother was a few years older than Thomas and very close to him. Margaret remembers listening to her mom and grandmother, of Huyton, Lancashire, talk about him on many occasions and the circumstances of his death.
When she stood at his graveside in Hillside cemetery on Sunday her thoughts turned to them. She has always felt they regretted not being able to be here for his funeral or to see his grave.
“I said, I’ve done it for you Mum, I’ve done it for you Nan (grandmother),” said Margaret, her voice full of emotion as she talked of being at the graveside. She was born two years after Thomas’s death.
The family had been informed of the accident and his death by telegram. An air mail letter, dated Jan. 10, 1944, followed with more details.
“Thomas was engaged on normal training exercises with his Instructor, Sgt. F.G. Mallin. These exercises consisted of carrying out steep turns and precautionary landings, and they took off at about 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon, in perfect weather,” states the letter signed by Group Captain A. Ellis, R.A.F. Station Medicine Hat.
The letter goes on to explain that shortly after 3:30 p.m. Ellis was informed of the crash.
“I feel that there is very little I can say that can mitigate your grief or lessen the sense of loss, but I trust that the knowledge that Thomas gave his life while carrying out his duty may help you to bear your bereavement bravely. For what consolation it may be, I can assure you that death was instantaneous.”
Thomas was buried with full Royal Air Force honours at Medicine Hat’s Hillside cemetery on Jan. 12.
For Margaret and her husband Trevor it was interesting to discover this weekend that the instructor, who also died in the crash, is buried next to Thomas. Mallin was from Birmingham, England, and they hope to connect with his extended family if possible.
Margaret and Trevor were grateful for the opportunity to meet Medicine Hat’s David Carter, author of Prairie Wings, about RAF 34 Service Flying Training School from 1941 to 1944. He told them Thomas would have been training to be a bomber pilot. Thomas is listed as “Sergeant Pilot RAF Volunteer Reserve.”
“Thomas must have had tremendous determination to get in the Air Force,” Trevor observed.
Margaret feels this connection to Canada influenced her interest in Canadian history and geography while at school. She attended the same school her mother and Thomas did and was delighted when she found his name on a memorial there.
Thomas was honoured this month in another special way. Margaret and Trevor’s niece, who lives in Australia, has just given birth to a son and has named him Thomas.