Grand Falls, NewfoundlandThe aircraft crashed at Hupede near Hanover. Four were taken prisoner of war but the other three were killed.
Memories of Bill: - From his sister Mrs. Bernadette McElvie
When the wealthy Harmsworth brothers of England decided to construct a paper mill in heavily forested central Newfoundland in the early 1900's they realized that to accommodate workers and their families they would have to build a town . Thus the town of Grand Falls was established in 1905. Those who had left the island years before to seek employment returned, and people from the outports came to seek a richer life. This situation is what brought Sarah Foran and Joseph Hennessey together. Her family moved back from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia and Joseph, who was prone to sea sickness, left his fishing community home in Placentia Bay to find employment on land. They married on April 24, l915 and eventually had 10 children - 8 boys and 2 girls. One boy, Vincent died at 10 months.
Bill, the second oldest, unlike his spirited but loveable older brother, John, was quiet and refined. He played the violin and was conscientious about his studies. Although he had become attracted to a pretty brunette, it was no great surprise when he decided to enter the Redemptorist order to study for the priesthood. However, it took him less than a year to decide that this wasn't his calling. He returned to Newfoundland to work in meteorology at the Gander Airport and the romance was re-kindled, then continued long distance, as Jean pursued a nursing career in Montreal.
With the outbreak of World War 2 and John already serving in the R.A.F. since 1939 and Arthur in the Fleet Air Arm, Bill was the next to enlist. He trained in Manitoba with the R.C.A.F. before joining R.A.F.bomber group, 158 squadron. With three boys in the service my mother relied on her deep religious faith in prayer to sustain her during this time.
The priest's house was on a large fenced property with many trees, especially fruit trees - apple, greengage and plum. In my naïve 9 year old mind, I often imagined that this was the "˜garden of Eden'. One day on our way to school, my friend, Madeline and I decided that we would taste the forbidden fruit. As she was on the fence ready to grab the plums and I stood guard, we heard a loud tapping on the window. We were caught as we were about to steal from the priest. I prayed that my mother would not hear that I had broken the 7th commandment.
A week or so later as my friend, Lorraine and I played hopscotch near my home, she said, "˜ Here comes Father Finn and he's going into your house'. My greatest fear had come to pass. He was in there for about a half hour and as he was leaving called out to me and told me to go in and see my mother. I bravely went in the house and my poor mother was sitting there all alone, sobbing. I soon learned that it had nothing to do with my thievery. The priest had brought her the sad news that her "˜ son, Flying Officer William Pius Hennessey was missing and presumed killed in action.' My father was at work and I don't know where the others were, but I was the only one around to hug mom and to cry with her. I have no further memories of that day.
It is unclear how much time had passed , but when I came home from school one day at noon my parents were dancing around the kitchen . I'd never seen them so animated. They had just received the news that Bill was alive and a prisoner of war in Germany. This was either late 1943 or early 1944. Much later in 1944, the family was advised by the war ministry that he had been promoted to Flight Lieutenant effective October 9, 1944 and that he would be entitled to pay and privileges of his rank.
When the war was over and Bill returned home, he didn't speak of his war experiences and as far as I know nobody asked. About a year after his return he moved to Toronto and married the love of his life. They had three children.
However, on his last trip to Newfoundland, about 10 years before he died, he talked quite freely and with humor of his war years. He spoke of sleeping in culverts at night and hearing what he thought were the Germans marching. It wasn't until he was captured and he and one of his flight crew were talking of their experiences when the other guy said that it wasn't the Germans he had heard but rats running around. Also this same man had walked over a culvert where Bill was hiding . Again Bill thought it was one of the Germans looking for him. I have no idea how many nights he was on the run, but he became very hungry and went to a farm house hoping to get food and they turned him in. That was his ticket to Stalag Luft 3. I don't know where he ended up after the long march from that camp near the end of the war, but he did tell us that they were liberated by the Russians.
When my husband, Ron and I visited Bill in his home about a year before he died, he talked about all the re-unions he had attended over the years. Then he proudly showed us an invitation he and Jean had from Buckingham Palace to attend the Queen's annual afternoon tea.. This was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of D-day. All prisoners of war had been invited. He also had the pictures to show that they both had attended.
It was well known in the family that Bill had kept his log all through his captivity with the intention of eventually donating it to the Royal Canadian Legion. When I asked about it on this visit, he informed us that he had torn it up. I couldn't believe what he was saying. It was so disappointing. When I asked why, he said that the young people today could not relate to it and they wouldn't be interested. How wrong he was there. The young people now show more interest than they ever did and the schools do a splendid job each November 11th keeping the memories alive. Also the crowds get bigger every year at memorial services at the cenotaphs.
Bill passed away from colon cancer at his home, where he had been cared for by his devoted wife Jean, on November 1, 2001 at age 83. Jean joined him on June 6, 2005 at age 85. God bless both of them.
Bernadette McElvie
Grand Falls-Windsor, Nfld
(709) 489-4283
bmcelvie@gmail.com
