Latest news with #WW2
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family visit to WW2 crash site 'overwhelming'
A woman has described visiting the site where her uncle died in a plane crash during World War Two as "overwhelming". Carolyn Runstedler, 80, travelled more than 3,000 miles (4,828 km) from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, to attend a memorial service at South Kyme in Lincolnshire. Her uncle, Flying Officer Lyle Whitham, from North Bay, was one of eight crew members who perished when Halifax bomber LK954 NA/E crashed on what is now a golf course on 3 November 1943, as a result of enemy action. Ms Runstedler said the visit had been very emotional. The aircraft had been returning to RAF Middleton St George, in County Durham, following a bombing raid over Germany when it came down. Ms Runstedler said: "It makes it real – you can see where it happened. "It makes you feel more connected." Ms Runstedler said her uncle grew up in North Bay, was one of six children and was the first in the family to enlist. He was just 23 when he died and is buried in Cambridge. She said seeing personnel from the RAF, Canadian Airforce and Canadian Navy at the memorial service reminded her of how young her uncle was when he joined up. "As soon as I saw those young men in their uniforms that made me tear up right away," she added. Talking about the importance of remembering those who died, Ms Runstedler said: "A lot of young people gave their lives in that war, and a lot of people at home waited for telegrams, or news of their relatives. "It impacted millions of people." The memorial also bears the names of the other crew members: Flying Officer Robert George Eaton, Flying Officer Allen Keith Hodgkinson, Flying Officer Bruce Alan Elmore, Sgt Allan Desmond Weigh, Sgt Albert Edward Moss, Pilot Officer Alan Edward MacKenzie and Sgt Harry Bernard Shimwell. It also features the sonnet High Flight, by Royal Canadian Air Force pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Family's journey to honour WW2 airman at crash site Plaque for Spitfire crash pilot unveiled Halifax bomber memorial would mark fatal crash Nine killed in WW2 bomber crash remembered Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family visit to WW2 crash site 'overwhelming'
A woman has described visiting the site where her uncle died in a plane crash during World War Two as "overwhelming". Carolyn Runstedler, 80, travelled more than 3,000 miles (4,828 km) from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, to attend a memorial service at South Kyme in Lincolnshire. Her uncle, Flying Officer Lyle Whitham, from North Bay, was one of eight crew members who perished when Halifax bomber LK954 NA/E crashed on what is now a golf course on 3 November 1943, as a result of enemy action. Ms Runstedler said the visit had been very emotional. The aircraft had been returning to RAF Middleton St George, in County Durham, following a bombing raid over Germany when it came down. Ms Runstedler said: "It makes it real – you can see where it happened. "It makes you feel more connected." Ms Runstedler said her uncle grew up in North Bay, was one of six children and was the first in the family to enlist. He was just 23 when he died and is buried in Cambridge. She said seeing personnel from the RAF, Canadian Airforce and Canadian Navy at the memorial service reminded her of how young her uncle was when he joined up. "As soon as I saw those young men in their uniforms that made me tear up right away," she added. Talking about the importance of remembering those who died, Ms Runstedler said: "A lot of young people gave their lives in that war, and a lot of people at home waited for telegrams, or news of their relatives. "It impacted millions of people." The memorial also bears the names of the other crew members: Flying Officer Robert George Eaton, Flying Officer Allen Keith Hodgkinson, Flying Officer Bruce Alan Elmore, Sgt Allan Desmond Weigh, Sgt Albert Edward Moss, Pilot Officer Alan Edward MacKenzie and Sgt Harry Bernard Shimwell. It also features the sonnet High Flight, by Royal Canadian Air Force pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Family's journey to honour WW2 airman at crash site Plaque for Spitfire crash pilot unveiled Halifax bomber memorial would mark fatal crash Nine killed in WW2 bomber crash remembered Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Positive Treaty Talk Sparks Interest
An evening of positive conversations in Whakatū Nelson about the Treaty of Waitangi generated significant interest and around 80 local people attended the event. 'Te Tiriti seen through local eyes' was the topic for the five speakers, says organisers Chris Hickson and Katie O'Donnell of Tangata Tiriti Aotearoa. The speakers were Paul Prestige, retired community leader - Nelson City Councillor for Nelson Māori Ward Kahu Paki Paki, Penny Molar QSM, award-winning educator and Founder of Whenua-iti Outdoor Education Centre, Hazel Nash and retired Methodist church leader Reverend Gary Clover. The free evening was held at the Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre, Main Rd Stoke, on Thursday May 22. It started with cuppa and cake at 6.30pm and the speakers began at 7pm finishing around 9.30 after a Q&A session the organisers report. MC for the night was Ceara McAuliffe Bickerton who did a wonderful job of bringing the audience along the journey and helping to weave the speakers stories together. Themes from some of the stories including pearls of wisdom from life experiences, experiences of attending protests and being awhi by the Māori community, how soldiers were treated differently upon returning to New Zealand from WW2 and how land issues sadly unfolded over generations for both Māori and Pākeha, with ongoing consequences today and dating back as far as the New Zealand Company days. Builder, businessman and artist Kahu Paki Paki (Te Ātiawa) is the first Māori ward councillor for Nelson, elected in the 2022 local government elections. He put the audience at ease sharing his wisdom and encouragement for a positive future in Whakatū, and Aotearoa. The evening was for everyone but particularly those keen to hear how the Treaty is key to New Zealand's harmonious future with a clear place to stand for everyone,' Chris said adding, "The next thing is that people will need more information to make an informed decision around the local body referendums".
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Positive Treaty Talk Sparks Interest
An evening of positive conversations in Whakatū Nelson about the Treaty of Waitangi generated significant interest and around 80 local people attended the event. 'Te Tiriti seen through local eyes' was the topic for the five speakers, says organisers Chris Hickson and Katie O'Donnell of Tangata Tiriti Aotearoa. The speakers were Paul Prestige, retired community leader - Nelson City Councillor for Nelson Māori Ward Kahu Paki Paki, Penny Molar QSM, award-winning educator and Founder of Whenua-iti Outdoor Education Centre, Hazel Nash and retired Methodist church leader Reverend Gary Clover. The free evening was held at the Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre, Main Rd Stoke, on Thursday May 22. It started with cuppa and cake at 6.30pm and the speakers began at 7pm finishing around 9.30 after a Q&A session the organisers report. MC for the night was Ceara McAuliffe Bickerton who did a wonderful job of bringing the audience along the journey and helping to weave the speakers stories together. Themes from some of the stories including pearls of wisdom from life experiences, experiences of attending protests and being awhi by the Māori community, how soldiers were treated differently upon returning to New Zealand from WW2 and how land issues sadly unfolded over generations for both Māori and Pākeha, with ongoing consequences today and dating back as far as the New Zealand Company days. Builder, businessman and artist Kahu Paki Paki (Te Ātiawa) is the first Māori ward councillor for Nelson, elected in the 2022 local government elections. He put the audience at ease sharing his wisdom and encouragement for a positive future in Whakatū, and Aotearoa. The evening was for everyone but particularly those keen to hear how the Treaty is key to New Zealand's harmonious future with a clear place to stand for everyone,' Chris said adding, "The next thing is that people will need more information to make an informed decision around the local body referendums".
Boston Globe
9 hours ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Remains of Somerville airman killed during WWII returned to Massachusetts 80 years later
Lord and members of his crew were reported missing in action. In 2018, investigators combing through a suspected crash site recovered ossified remains that were later confirmed to be Lord's, according to the Defense Department's POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A Southwest flight carrying Lord's remains and captained by his great-nephew, Charles Axtell landed at Logan Airport in Boston on Thursday afternoon. Advertisement 'I'm not sure if I can put it into words what it means to be flying him home,' his great nephew, Charles Axtell, said by email before the flight. 'It has been a special journey the whole way.' Lord's remains were also escorted by his great-great niece, Space Force 2nd Lieutenant Katherine Hendl. Lord's remains were taken to Bedford Funeral Home and will be interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett on June 7, alongside Lord's parents and his sister Ruth, his family said in an Axtell, who worked on the excavation that recovered Lord's remains, said that returning his great-uncle's remains to his home state represents 'the end of 80 years of torment.' Advertisement 'Now we know and we have the ability to give hope to the other 80,000+ MIA's since WW2,' said Axtell, who lives in New Hampshire. " . 'We also are reminding our present day armed forces that we do not quit looking for them! This is closure for our family but I think every veteran and military family member knows in their hearts what it means.' Lord's family still has letters he wrote while overseas. Axtell said Lord would end his letters writing, 'Remember me to all' and 'Loads of Love.' 'In today's world that makes me smile, knowing that all anyone wants is to be remembered,' Axtell said. Charles Axtell said his great-uncle, Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Loring E. Lord, signed his letters home with "remember me to all" and "loads of love." Charles Axtell Axtell retired from the Air Force in 2015 and later joined Southwest Airlines. 'We are honored to support Captain Axtell as he transports his great uncle to his final resting place,' Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest, said by email. Lord was officially accounted for on Sept. 18, 2024, according to There was no indication that anyone escaped the plane crash, which happened less than two months before victory was declared in Europe on May 8, 1945, the agency said. An article in the Boston Traveler on Feb. 23, 1946, reported that Lord, a graduate of Somerville High School who worked at Pratt & Whitney, had been listed as missing in action since March 21, 1945, while on his 31st mission. He entered the Army on Oct. 10, 1941, and received the Air Medal, Silver Star, and Purple Heart, the newspaper reported. Lord's family said he was engaged to be married at the time of his death. Advertisement U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Loring E. Lord of Somerville was killed when his plane was shot down in Germany in March 1945. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency After the war ended, the American Graves Registration Command began investigating and recovering the remains of missing US service members in the European Theater. In 1949, investigators visited villages between Velen and Dülmen, including Reken, where they met a former police chief who recalled seeing an American plane crash after one of its wings was shot off, according to the accounting agency. Heinrich Mels reported that the German military secured the crash site and buried several airmen at a local cemetery, the agency said. The remains were exhumed in April 1945 when US forces occupied the town and were identified as crew members from Lord's aircraft, the agency said. Investigators later located several aircraft parts at the crash scene, but no other remains were located. Decades later, in 2014, Adolf Hagedorn, a German researcher, reported another possible crash site to the accounting agency. In 2018, after several recovery missions, investigators with the agency located 'identification media' for one of Lord's crew members, as well as ossified remains, during an excavation of the site. The remains were sent to the agency's laboratory, where scientists were able to identify them as Lord's based on anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence, as well as mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial genome sequence analysis, according to the agency. Nick Stoico can be reached at
