Fiancé Was a Pilot

Heroes Remember

Fiancé Was a Pilot

Transcript

The enemy planes use to follow our planes in from the North Sea and they would come over and they would strafe the aerodrome and bomb the runways so that our planes couldn’t take off. At that time, I was engaged to a young sergeant pilot. This was during the Battle of Britain and I do have a letter from his best friend stating to me what happened. “Dear June, I should love to have one of our usual jokes, but to pass on one of the most horrible remarks to you, but unfortunately, the only applicable remark seems to be it’s the end. The second day we were here they sent us up to intercept a raid on London. There were 12 of us and we met up with about 120 Germans. We waded in and rather caught it in the neck. Five of our people were shot down, myself included. Some are still alive, but others are not, but unfortunately, John is the only one that has not come back. His machine had been found in a hell of a mess and it must be assumed that he was in it. June my dear, I would rather it was somebody else then John. I’d much rather that it was somebody else having to tell you than myself. I know that this is awfully abrupt, but I sincerely hope and think that it is the best way of explaining the circumstances to you. I suppose by now that you will have heard the news about John, but I thought it best to let you know and have some definite information.” And that was from his best friend. His plane was in flames, but apparently a bullet had got him. So he didn’t suffer.

Description

Mrs. Harvey explains the circumstances surrounding the death of her fiancé and reads a letter.

Pansey Harvey

Pansey June Harvey was born in London, England. In 1920, she came to Canada when she was four years old. When she was seventeen she enlisted and was sent to training camp two weeks later. Pansey served with the Womens Auxiliary Air Force - Royal Air Force as bomber/fighter command and in the hospital as an administrator. After the war she returned to Canada where she was married and had three daughters.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 2:40
Person Interviewed:: Pansey Harvey
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: England
Battle/Campaign:: Battle of Britain
Branch:: Air Force

Language selection

Fiancé Was a Pilot

Heroes Remember