WWII In the Pacific. Why I collect- Family History.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

If I may add my personal history story.

Thanks for sharing your story.

[Bob Womack]

Sgt. Pilot H.A. "Harry" Womack, RCAF



After seeing England face Hitler alone, my father's older brother Harry traveled across the border from the USA to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He trained and became a pilot. After being posted to England he transitioned to Supermarine Spitfires at 57 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales in May of 1941. He was killed two months later at 22 years old in a dogfighting training exercise at Upton Mill, Upton near Chester, July 1, 1941.



I've gathered a lot of information about Harry over time and have actually tracked down a Spitfire that was on his station while he was there. At that point, the Operational Training Units (OTUs) got the "caned out" or severely battle-damaged Spits and Hurris that had been restored to be capable of flying but weren't necessarily in top shape. They would have maybe three or four to be shared by everyone on the station. Spitfire K9942 is a Mk.I Spit that was badly damaged in one of the early battles of the Battle of Britain. She was patched up and sent to RAF Hawarden just before Harry got there. Though she isn't one of the Spits in Harry's log book, it's nice to know she was there on the flight line and he probably lusted after her as he walked by. She has been fully restored and resides at RAF Cosford.



Harry and his instructor were buried in the RCAF section at the lovely St. Deiniol's Church, Hawarden, Cheshire.





When we visited on a very cold winter day in 1996 an anonymous person had laid flowers at his grave, which was a pleasant surprise to my father (his brother), my brothers, and myself (far right). Having survived the death of his father and brother in six months, my father, the youngest of his family, suddenly became the man of the family. He took care of his mom and gave his sisters away at their weddings. At the grave, he just went silent for a long while and stared at the stone. We all just waited. That night at the small hotel in Chester, he confided to me that he had felt the responsibility to hold his family together so he had never allowed himself to grieve. He felt he had to be strong for his sisters and mother. That day at the grave, fifty-five years later, it all just finally came rushing in on him.

My dad went on to serve in the Navy as a classified documents technician at Great Lakes Naval Station. He was the guy you see in the movies with the briefcase chained to his wrist and a guard with a rifle on each side. On his lunch breaks he watched the paddle-wheel aircraft carriers Sable and Wolverine ply their trade training fledgling Naval Aviators to make carrier landings on Lake Michigan and saw several of the planes go overboard on missed approaches.

We've got Harry's medals, a photo, and the condolence letter from King George VI posted in shadow boxes on a wall to remember him by. He is also commemorated nicely on the back of my granparent's stone in Johnson City, TN.




Bob

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Very touching story. I watched a documentary on R.J. Mitchell (the designer of the Spitfire) the other night. Your story brings the story home for me. Thanks!

[fn111557]

Very touching story. I watched a documentary on R.J. Mitchell (the designer of the Spitfire) the other night. Your story brings the story home for me. Thanks!

Was it a documentary or the movie “Spitfire”? The other known title, “The First of the Few”, was used in European theaters. I love this movie as it is more of a documentary than you would expect. It was made in 1942, so you don’t get the “Hollywood” glitz, but rather a since of reality.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

It was on the Military channel.Documentary. One of a series. I will find the name and post it.

[Bob Womack]

Oh, I forgot to mention that Spitfire K9942 is also listed as the oldest extant Spitfire. During the filming of the movie Battle of Britain, her main spar was lent to another plane so it could fly in the film. That's pretty radical surgery.

Bob

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Was it a documentary or the movie “Spitfire”? The other known title, “The First of the Few”, was used in European theaters. I love this movie as it is more of a documentary than you would expect. It was made in 1942, so you don’t get the “Hollywood” glitz, but rather a since of reality.

Heros of WWII is the series The man who invented the Spitfire was the title of the particular segment.

[gtxc01]

FN,
Excellent information, thanks for sharing. It's certainly quite amazing what is possible with the internet these days. Who would have thought that you could connect with the person who was last with a relative in combat?

Mr. Womack,

That Spit is a pretty girl. I don't think any aircraft has ever been so representative of a nation as the Spitfire was/is of England and the English. Whenever I see Spitfires and Mustangs, I think of how amazing it must have been for the young men flying them, considering how few people had any aviation experience back then. To go North over the border to join the RCAF shows quite a bit of courage and conviction.

[Bob Womack]

Yeah, Harry was an adventurer as well. At least he died doing what he wanted to.

Bob