My English friend, historian and researcher Moofy (that's her handle on the 8th Air Force web page, not her real name, by the way), sent me a photo of her and one of the three little girls who survived the Freckleton B-24 crash I posted about yesterday. Moofy writes:
"I have just come across a photograph, which I am sending you, as it will fit in with the story of the Freckleton Disaster. This picture I had taken with Ruby Currell ('nee Whittle) in the blue blouse, at a BAD2 Reunion at Blackpool in 1995. Ruby was one of the three children that survived that terrible tragedy. Over the years members of the BAD2 Veterans Association have remained very close to the people of Freckleton. (Freckleton is very near to Blackpool, which is about 1½ hours drive from where we live)."
The B-24 exploded after impacting the Infant's Wing of the Holy Trinity School. The blast killed 38 children and two teachers. Of the children in the Infant's Wing, only three survived. Ruby was one of them.
A tragic story, and one that tells of overcoming a deep hurt in a small community and of the bonds forged between the Air Corps aimen and the English townspeople.
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My father (who died this past August at the age of 83) was a 20-year old airman stationed at Wharton when this occurred. He was part of the clean-up crew, as I understand most of the airmen were, and was present at the dedication of the memorial in 1945. While going through his things, I found some newspaper and magazine clippings regarding this incident that he had kept all these years. One of them has a photo of Ruby and another student, along with a teacher who survived. I am so pleased to see Ruby as an adult. And thanks for this link with my Dad.
Lou Rae Langevin
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