On the night of November 7th/8th, 1943, the air war over over skies of Europe made a brief and devastating visit to the people of Lavally, outside of Tuam in Galway.
The aircraft had been on a night training excerise with 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) out of Rufforth in Yorkshire. The crew were diverted to land at another airfield but for reasons unknown, they became lost and their final landing was to be in the low hills of Lavally outside of Tuam. There loss would be just one of the frighteningly high losses suffered during trainign missions. As many 8000 aircrew were lost on training accidents.
It was luck to be introduced in 2006 by email to Anne Tierney of Tuam when I learned she was researching this crash. Joe O'Louhglan had been kind enough to assist her in her quest. In December 2006 it was my pleasure to purchase a copy of the Journal of the Old Tuam Society, 2006, (JOTS 3, 2006) where Anne had published the fruits of her research, the article 'The Sound of Wings'.
It had been mentioned that the locals were planning a memorial for the dead airmen that day and before long, August 5th 2007 rolled along and, with my sister Brid in company, I attended the unveiling of the Halifax EB134 Memorial Garden.
I shan't present the story of EB134's demise on this site. One can find details of how to get a copy of JOTS 3, 2006 at the Old Tuam Society Website. Check out their website for this and other details of the ceremony.
I will however present some of the photos that I took that day, to give some idea of the touching ceremoney laid on by the Lavally Community.
And so, the men of Halifax EB134 are remembered, as a crew, in the same way that they met their fate, together:
- F/Sgt George Hilton Sansome 423386 + RAAF
- F/Sgt Allan Stewart Johnston 409125 + RAAF
- W/O Norman William Gardner R/65741 + RCAF
- Sgt Anthony Joseph Gallagher 410595 + RAAF
- Sgt Edgar William Camp 1605423 +
- Sgt Leslie Harold Wildman 1158064 +
- Sgt Robert Mair Clark 1051117 +
One can review the casualty and service files for the three Australian airmen above at the Australian national Archives website, Recordsearch facilty. Simply click on the link, go to the Recordsearch link on the left hand side of the screen, chose search method and then enter the 6 digit service numbers shown above. (Instructions as per August 2007)
Australian National Archives
 Tony McHugh, Lavally, introduces the EB134 Ceremony |
 The five ship fly past of Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-9 trainers. |
 In honour of fallen airmen of a different age, the pilots of the IAC gave a spirited dispay. |
 A final fly past by four of the aircraft. |
 Following the unveiling of the memorial by Dorothy Clarke, sister of Robert M. Clarke, and her daughter, the last remaining aircraft passes the memorial. The momuments representation of EB134 points stationary to the crash site, a few fields away. |
 The tricolour is removed by members of the Irish Army 54th Field Artillery Regiment. |
 Wreathes laid at the memorial by the veterans associations. |
 Tony McHugh and Anne Tierney watched on by the colour parties of the Irish Army and the Royal Air Forces Association. |
 The crash location, marked for the day with a flag. |
 Part of the superb efforts carried out by Anne and Pat, Lavally National School children prepared a model of the illfated aircraft, along with the many wall mounted displays. |
With special thanks to Anne Tierney, for researching this incident and for, along with the people of Lavally, taking these strangers into your hearts after all these years and giving them a fitting remembrance.
Ref: M. Middlebrook, 'The Bomber War'
Dennis Burke - August 2007
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