Ce blog est un sanctuaire dédié et réservé exclusivement à la mémoire des 7 Aviateurs inhumés à
Courgent, à leurs familles et amis, ainsi qu'à tous ceux qui perpétuent leurs mémoires.
Les documents qui suivent ne peuvent être que consultés, cela avec le respect et la dignité qui s'imposent, et en aucun cas ils ne peuvent servir ou être mêlés à d'autres fins qu'entretenir la mémoire des 7 Aviateurs, exprimée à l'intérieur de ce blog exclusivement.
This blog is a sanctuary dedicated and reserved exclusively to the memory of the 7 Airmen buried in Courgent, to their families and friends, as well as to all those who perpetuate their memories.
The following documents may only be consulted, with due respect and dignity, and in no way may they be used or mixed for any purpose other than maintaining the memory of the 7 Airmen expressed inside this blog exclusively.
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La raison d'être de ce blog :
J'ai créé ce blog dans le seul but de porter le mieux possible la connaissance de l'histoire de ces
7 Aviateurs à tous ceux qui s'intéressent à ce qu'ils ont accompli, à ce qu'il sont devenus et comment leur mémoire est entretenue.
Il n'y a de gloire rendue dans ce blog qu'aux 7 Aviateurs.
Il n'y a ici aucun intérêt ou esprit de possession ou reconnaissance personnelle si ce n'est la satisfaction du devoir de mémoire accompli et l'amour qui leur est porté.
Je considère que l'histoire de ces Aviateurs appartient à tout le monde et notamment à leurs familles qui, grâce à ce blog, nous découvriront et je l'espère, nous contacteront afin de faire connaissance. Cela est déjà fait en ce qui concerne la famille de l'Aviateur James Pat STEFFAN (voir les autres articles).
Ma motivation :
Le 4 juillet 2004, alors que je participais à la
commémoration du 60e anniversaire de la chute d’un avion allié à
Courgent, je pris conscience que nous étions en train de rendre hommage à des
aviateurs, des héros venus de si loin mourir ici pour sauver notre liberté et
que nous ne connaissions pas leurs visages.
Je pensais alors que cette situation était absolument anormale
et il me vint l’idée de rechercher des photos, si elles existaient, concernant
nos chers aviateurs.
Dès les quelques jours qui suivirent, je commençais mes
recherches et ne sachant pas par quel bout aborder le problème, j’utilisais
tout naturellement internet. Un grand merci dans ce cas à cette technologie.
Je recherchais toutes éventuelles informations qui auraient pu
apporter de l’eau à mon moulin.
Je trouvais toutes sortes de forums qui parlaient d’avions,
d’équipages et d’aviateurs ainsi que de nombreuses photos mais aucune
concernant nos 7 aviateurs. Ces sites étaient par exemples : 467-463 RAAF
Squadrons ; The Aviation Forum ; Australian War Memorial ;
Commonwealth War Graves ; des musées dont ceux de la RAF et de la RAAF ;
des offices de tourisme …
Je m’insérais dans ces forums ou ces sites en y déposant des
petites annonces de recherche. Parfois je recevais des réponses de membres des
forums me conseillant de m’adresser là ou ailleurs. Mais souvent, ce n’étaient
que des fausses pistes et je ne recueillais aucune réponse.
Cela dura cinq à six années avec des moments de désespoir,
me disant que jamais je n’obtiendrais quelque chose.
Pourtant, un jour de début 2011, alors que je flânais encore
sur internet, le soir, un peu comme dans un vol de nuit par-dessus le monde,
toujours à la recherche d’un éventuel indice mais sans grande conviction, je
vis dans un texte trouvé au hasard, l’immatriculation de l’avion LM338 et un
peu plus loin dans le texte le nom de TOMALIN. J’avais déjà rencontré des
associations de ce genre qui ne m’avaient conduit nulle part. Cependant, cette
fois-ci, j’essayais encore sur le moteur de recherches et quelle ne fut ma
surprise : je découvrais un texte de 20 pages écrit tout en anglais,
déposé sur le site de « 467-463 RAAF Squadrons » par une personne australienne
nommée Cynthia TOMALIN. Cette dame racontait la vie militaire de son père
Richard Eric PECK qui avait volé à bord de l’avion qui s’était écrasé à
Courgent. Il avait été membre d’un équipage précédent de celui inhumé à
Courgent. Et à la fin du texte, il y avait une adresse de messagerie internet.
Je n’en revenais pas ! J’étais sûr de tenir enfin une bonne piste.
Sans attendre, j’envoyai un message à cette personne en lui
expliquant ce que je cherchais, certain que j’allais recevoir des nouvelles qui
m’apporteraient un espoir tangible.
Mais les jours passaient et je ne recevais pas de réponse.
Je me dis qu’une fois de plus je n’obtiendrais rien.
Pourtant, environ deux mois plus tard, je reçus une réponse de
Cynthia avec à mon plus grand étonnement une photo de piètre qualité de
Clifford Cecil JONES et cinq pages extraites de son dossier militaire. C’était enfin
un début et quelle ne fut ma joie de connaître enfin un visage.
Cynthia était entrée en relation avec RSL (Returned Service
League) dont Ian et Janet MILNES sont membres. Les recherches donnaient enfin
des fruits ! Ian et Janet avaient décidé de nous aider grâce à leur
gentillesse et leur savoir faire.
Peu après, le journal des anciens combattants de l’armée de
l’air australienne « Bomber Command Australia » publia un article avec notre
carte postale réalisée à l’occasion de la commémoration du 60e anniversaire (voir après ce texte).
J’étais de plus en plus ému.
Mi-février 2012, je reçus de Ian, de nouveau la photo de
Clifford Cecil JONES mais cette fois-ci d’excellente qualité, accompagnée du
dossier militaire complet, documents obtenus auprès des archives nationales australiennes.
C’était merveilleux !
Mi-septembre 2012, je reçus de Ian une photo d’excellente
qualité de James Pat STEFFAN accompagnée aussi du dossier militaire complet.
Encore une nouvelle émotion pour moi.
Entre temps, Cynthia, Brian et moi échangions de très
sympathiques mails, nous racontant nos vies, des anecdotes, nos problèmes de
santé dont ceux du père de Cynthia lequel malheureusement mourut en septembre
2012.
Puis enfin, l’apothéose, fin décembre 2012, juste avant
Noël, Ian me fit la surprise sans me prévenir, de m’envoyer la photo de
l’équipage au complet trouvée auprès de Jean STEFFAN, la belle-sœur de JP
STEFFAN, imprimée sur un magnifique support, avec tous les dossiers militaires
sauf celui de George Arthur HAYS qui était anglais et dont les archives ne sont
probablement pas en Australie mais en Grande-Bretagne. Le travail n’est donc
pas terminé. Et il y a un lien à faire perdurer.
J’ai compris que le message à retenir de tout cela
est : N’OUBLIONS JAMAIS – LEST WE FORGET.
Oublier serait une injure envers nos sauveurs et serait
aussi la prise d’un grand risque envers les générations futures.
Un grand merci à vous tous, amis lointains et maintenant si
proches.
Une pensée émue pour Cynthia et Brian qui ne sont pas venus
mais que nous espérons rencontrer bientôt.
Mon souhait le plus sincère est maintenant que des membres des familles des Aviateurs soient trouvés et que des rencontres soient organisées, à Courgent ou ailleurs.
Longue vie à l'amitié entre la France, la Grande-Bretagne et l'Australie.
Bien sincèrement vôtre,
Mon souhait le plus sincère est maintenant que des membres des familles des Aviateurs soient trouvés et que des rencontres soient organisées, à Courgent ou ailleurs.
Longue vie à l'amitié entre la France, la Grande-Bretagne et l'Australie.
Bien sincèrement vôtre,
Jean-Louis DUPRÉ.
ENGLISH :
The purpose of this blog :
I created this blog for the sole purpose of bringing the best possible knowledge of the history of these
7 Aviators to all who are interested in what they have accomplished, where they have become and how their memory is maintained.
There is no glory given in this blog except to the 7 Aviators only.
There is no interest or spirit of possession or personal recognition here if it is not the satisfaction of the duty of memory accomplished and the love which is carried to them.
I consider that the history of these Aviators belongs to everyone and in particular to their families who, thanks to this blog, will discover us and I hope will contact us in order to get to know each other. This has already been done for the family of Aviator James Pat STEFFAN (see other articles).
My motivation :
On July 4th, 2004, while attending the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the fall of an allied plane in Courgent, I realized that we were paying tribute to some airmen, heroes come from so far away and died here for saving our freedom and that we did not know their faces.
I thought then that it was absolutely abnormal and it occurred to me to look for pictures, if they were existing, concerning our beloved aviators.
I thought then that it was absolutely abnormal and it occurred to me to look for pictures, if they were existing, concerning our beloved aviators.
From the next few days, I began my searching and not knowing by which end to take the problem, I used naturally internet. A big thank in this case to this technology.
I was looking for all possible information that could bring some water to my mill.
I found all kinds of forums that spoke of aircrafts, crews and airmen, as well as many photos but none regarding our 7 airmen. These sites were for example : 467-463 RAAF Squadrons; The Aviation Forum; Australian War Memorial; Commonwealth War Graves ; museums including the RAF and RAAF; tourist offices ...
I inserted in these forums or these sites by depositing small search ads. Sometimes I received answers from members of the forum advising me to speak there or elsewhere. But often they were false tracks only and I was gathering no response.
This lasted five to six years with moments of despair, telling me that I never would get something.
But one day in early 2011, when I was still strolling on the internet at night, a little like in a night flight over the world, always in search of a possible index, but without much conviction, I saw in a text found at random, the registration of the LM338 plane and a little further in the text the name of TOMALIN. I had already met with such associations that had led me nowhere. However, this time, I was still trying on the search engine and what was my surprise : I discovered a 20 pages text written entirely in English, deposited on the site of "467-463 RAAF Squadrons" by an Australian person named Cynthia TOMALIN. This lady told the military life of her father Richard Eric PECK who had flown aboard the plane that crashed in Courgent. He was a member of the previous crew buried in Courgent. And at the end of the text, there was an Internet mail address. I did not believe it ! I was sure to finally hold a good track.
Without waiting, I sent a message to that person explaining what I was looking for, sure I would receive some news that would bring me a tangible hope.
But the days passed and I did not receive any reply. I thought that once again I would get nothing.
However, about two months later, I received a response from Cynthia with my biggest amazement a poor quality picture of Clifford Cecil Jones and five pages from his military record. It was finally a beginning and what was not my joy to finally know a face.
Cynthia had come into relationship with RSL (Returned Services League) including Ian and Janet MILNES who are members. The research at last gave some fruits ! Ian and Janet decided to help us through their kindness and their expertise.
Soon after, the veterans newspaper of Royal Australian Air "Bomber Command Australia" published an article with our postcard created on the occasion of the commemoration of the 60th anniversary (see after this text). I was more and more moved.
Mid-February 2012, I received from Ian again the photo of Clifford Cecil JONES but this time of an excellent quality, together with the full military records, documents obtained from the National Archives of Australia. It was wonderful !
Mid-September 2012, I also received from Ian an excellent photo of James Pat STEFFAN supported by the complete military record. Another new emotion for me.
Meanwhile, Cynthia, Brian and I exchanged very nice mails, telling us our lives, anecdotes, our health problems including those of Cynthia's father which unfortunately died in September 2012.
And finally, the apotheosis late December 2012, just before Christmas, Ian surprised me without telling me, send me a picture of the entire crew found with Jean STEFFAN, the JP STEFFAN's sister in law, printed on a beautiful support, with full military records except that of George Arthur HAYS who was English and archives which are probably not in Australia but in Great-Britain. The work is thus not completed. And there is a link to continue.
I realized that the message from all this is : NEVER FORGET - LEST WE FORGET.
Forgetting would be an insult to our saviors and would also be taking a big risk to future generations.
A big thank you to you all, distant friends and now so close.
A thought for Cynthia and Brian who have not come but that we hope to meet soon.
My sincere hope is now that members of Airmen families would be found and that meetings be held in Courgent or elsewhere.
Long live to friendship between France, Great-Britain and Australia.
Sincerely yours,
Jean-Louis Dupré.
I found all kinds of forums that spoke of aircrafts, crews and airmen, as well as many photos but none regarding our 7 airmen. These sites were for example : 467-463 RAAF Squadrons; The Aviation Forum; Australian War Memorial; Commonwealth War Graves ; museums including the RAF and RAAF; tourist offices ...
I inserted in these forums or these sites by depositing small search ads. Sometimes I received answers from members of the forum advising me to speak there or elsewhere. But often they were false tracks only and I was gathering no response.
This lasted five to six years with moments of despair, telling me that I never would get something.
But one day in early 2011, when I was still strolling on the internet at night, a little like in a night flight over the world, always in search of a possible index, but without much conviction, I saw in a text found at random, the registration of the LM338 plane and a little further in the text the name of TOMALIN. I had already met with such associations that had led me nowhere. However, this time, I was still trying on the search engine and what was my surprise : I discovered a 20 pages text written entirely in English, deposited on the site of "467-463 RAAF Squadrons" by an Australian person named Cynthia TOMALIN. This lady told the military life of her father Richard Eric PECK who had flown aboard the plane that crashed in Courgent. He was a member of the previous crew buried in Courgent. And at the end of the text, there was an Internet mail address. I did not believe it ! I was sure to finally hold a good track.
Without waiting, I sent a message to that person explaining what I was looking for, sure I would receive some news that would bring me a tangible hope.
But the days passed and I did not receive any reply. I thought that once again I would get nothing.
However, about two months later, I received a response from Cynthia with my biggest amazement a poor quality picture of Clifford Cecil Jones and five pages from his military record. It was finally a beginning and what was not my joy to finally know a face.
Cynthia had come into relationship with RSL (Returned Services League) including Ian and Janet MILNES who are members. The research at last gave some fruits ! Ian and Janet decided to help us through their kindness and their expertise.
Soon after, the veterans newspaper of Royal Australian Air "Bomber Command Australia" published an article with our postcard created on the occasion of the commemoration of the 60th anniversary (see after this text). I was more and more moved.
Mid-February 2012, I received from Ian again the photo of Clifford Cecil JONES but this time of an excellent quality, together with the full military records, documents obtained from the National Archives of Australia. It was wonderful !
Mid-September 2012, I also received from Ian an excellent photo of James Pat STEFFAN supported by the complete military record. Another new emotion for me.
Meanwhile, Cynthia, Brian and I exchanged very nice mails, telling us our lives, anecdotes, our health problems including those of Cynthia's father which unfortunately died in September 2012.
And finally, the apotheosis late December 2012, just before Christmas, Ian surprised me without telling me, send me a picture of the entire crew found with Jean STEFFAN, the JP STEFFAN's sister in law, printed on a beautiful support, with full military records except that of George Arthur HAYS who was English and archives which are probably not in Australia but in Great-Britain. The work is thus not completed. And there is a link to continue.
I realized that the message from all this is : NEVER FORGET - LEST WE FORGET.
Forgetting would be an insult to our saviors and would also be taking a big risk to future generations.
A big thank you to you all, distant friends and now so close.
A thought for Cynthia and Brian who have not come but that we hope to meet soon.
My sincere hope is now that members of Airmen families would be found and that meetings be held in Courgent or elsewhere.
Long live to friendship between France, Great-Britain and Australia.
Sincerely yours,
Jean-Louis Dupré.
Ci-dessous, un exemple de l'intérêt que les Anciens Combattants Australiens portent à nos actions (pages 3 et 4) :
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