Bernard Leroy shared with us the latest developments of events which had started in 1944 and which had been followed by a long personal investigation (see the post “Lost in France”):
- mail dated 19.07.2019:
Les descendants du Sgt O’Leary, le mitrailleur de queue du Halifax abattu à Amblaincourt, sont venus visités le site du crash. Ils avaient pris connaissance de mes recherches dans un musée de la RAF et m’avaient contacté l’an passé. Comme je n’habite pas sur place j’ai demandé a des cousins habitant ce village de leur faire visiter les lieux. Etaient de la partie le fils, né quelques mois après la mort de son père, le petit fils et l’arrière petit fils du Sgt O’Leary. Mes cousins ne parlant pas l’anglais avaient invité un résident anglais du village et finalement le Maire les a également rejoints.
Ci-joint une première photo des trois membres de la famille O’Leary et la seconde de la partie complète.
Par messages séparés les emails de remerciement des fils et petit fils.
(note: j’avais 14 ans lors du crash et j’étais loin de penser qu’un jour j’en organiserai la visite par l’arrière petit fils de l’un des membres d’équipage !)
- mail received by Bernard on 10.07.2019:
| Sujet : | French trip. |
| Date : | Wed, 10 Jul 2019 11:46:57 +0100 |
| De : | Patrick Colan-O’Leary < |
| Pour : | bernard leroy <bernard.henri.leroy@orange.fr> |
| Copie à : | Gerald. , Robert. |
- Hello Bernard,
Just sending you an update after a very successful visit to France.
As you know my son Robert, my grand son Conor and I spent five days in France. We met Pierre, Janine, Frederic Doubroff and John Laurerson.
We met them on the night of the 5th and the morning of the 6th July.
Pierre showed us the crash site, where my Father landed, the farm of George Chateau, the place where the undercarriage landed. We visited the cemetery where Sgt Kumar and F/O Taylor are buried.
Pierre also said that on the night of the 3rd June he saw Sgt O’Leary land by parachute, saw him crossing the road to the farm of George Chateau. He also thought that Gerald was handed over very quickly to a neighbour who took him to Raizeux.
We also went to La Taie. Where would they have left a body do you think? The hamlet is purely residential. We also visited St. George survived Eure. We didn’t make any enquiries there, our French wasnt up to it!
In Lisieux we visited St. Desir War Cemetery and my Fathers grave.
By the bye we visited Sword beach, le Grand Bunker, Pegasus bridge and the Calvados Experience amongst others.
It was, on the whole, a very rewarding trip which in greater part was thanks to you for all you did to ease our path. We are also very thankful to Pierre, Janine, Frederic and John for all their help over two days and will thank them separately.
The attachment is a photograph of my Fathers grave.
Kind regards,
Patrick.
- Mail received by Bernard on 18.07.2019:
| Sujet : | Re: Your Dad’s trip to France |
| Date : | Thu, 18 Jul 2019 22:16:41 +0100 |
| De : | Gerald Colan-O’Leary < |
| Pour : | Bernard Leroy LEROY <bernard.henri.leroy@orange.fr> |
Hello Bernard,
Dad was delighted and humbled with the helpfulness of all those he met and you for making it possible.
Though he never met his dad he felt the trip gave him closure and a fantastic understanding of the last movements of Gerald. To know he survived and was able to run to the farm raised his spirits.
His eventual death and the circumstances surrounding that are for another day and perhaps it will remain a mystery.
Thank you and the people so much for all you have done for a stranger. You have made us all very happy and grateful.
I hope to get to the site of the crash next year and meet the wonderful people there.
Thank you again for all you have done for us and to honour the memory of the crew.
Kind regards
Gerald
