Sunday, December 5, 2021

Finding And Honouring Lost Airmen

 Following the end of the Second World War, the family of Will Kyle, whose flight disappeared somewhere over Burma on June 21st 1945, received a letter marking him as missing in action and presumed dead.


Decades later the mystery of that lost flight began to come to light when a hunter in what is now Myanmar found the wreckage of the plane deep in the jungle. Several years later that was brought forward to Canadian authorities.


Some of the remnants recovered from the wreckage: a lens, what's left of a fork and cup, a fishing lure, and a mess tin.


These are the other members of that flight.


And some of the wreckage of that plane is preserved here, encased in the walls and floor of the exhibit. The small pieces of wreckage testify to the violence of the crash and half a century in a jungle environment.


The remains of the crew were recovered and interred at a Commonwealth war cemetery in Myanmar. Video footage of the recovery and the ceremony is played, and a ceremonial flag is draped as part of the exhibit. The combination is poignant. Brothers in arms, found at last.

22 comments:

  1. May it serve also as a memorial to all those lost and never found.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is wonderful the families finally had some answers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting collection of items recovered.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A sad ending for the missing men.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @John: and there are many.

    @Marie: I think so.

    @Gemel: indeed.

    @Sharon: definitely.

    @Jennifer: that's true.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A sad story again, but for the family it's good they were found at last.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes this was so very interesting especially for me as we have an airman in the family now serving in the United States Air Force! An informative and engaging post.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very sad but glad the families got some closure.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I actually knew and spoke with a fellow who piloted one of those planes over Burma during WWII.

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Maywyn: and so they were.

    @Jan: it provides closure.

    @RedPat: definitely.

    @magiceye: indeed.

    @Karen: thank you.

    @Bill: I agree.

    @Revrunner: it was harrowing duty.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Por lo menos sus restos pudieron ser enterrados a donde la familai pueda ir a visitarlo y darle su último adiós.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Awesome to tribute to the airman in the missing crash ~

    Happy Days to you,

    A ShutterBug Explores
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  13. great pics. i really enjoy the man with red hair ...he has such style. we just don't have that kind of look these days. such neatness. i wish we still had that ... wish i knew the word to use??! but i will think u know my thoughts there. ( ;

    ReplyDelete