| "I felt compelled
to write and offer our sincere gratitude
for the work you have carried out. Our Uncle
was shot down over Antwerp in 1943 and until
we read the article, which you cleverly
included in the Devon Independent seeking
relatives of Sgt. Vardre Lewis the Rear
Gunner, we as a family had always believed
he was missing presumed killed and my parents
went to their graves always believing he
was possibly alive somewhere.
Through your great endeavours
you were able to prove that not only was
his plane shot down at Kasterlee but that
his grave was in the military cemetery on
the outskirts of Antwerp. Through your careful
research I was able to bring along several
members of my uncle's family to attend the
wonderful memorial service at Kasterlee
and visit his grave for the first time.
I can never ever put into words of appreciation
what is felt not only by my family, but
particularly by myself as I had always hero-worshipped
Vardre and a point I might have forgotten
to mention at the time, I was pageboy at
his wedding.
The exhibition at Kasterlee
showing parts recovered of JN920 that you
were able to resurrect was so professionally
carried out with a memorial to each member
of the crew and the compassionate way in
which this was shown. Having had the privilege
of seeing the video of how you worked with
the digger to dangerously extract these
parts from a swamp is beyond the call of
duty and it shows the compassion and joy
which you have for your work.
I consider this work not
just important, but is vital, as there are
so many familes who have lost their loved
ones in the war and still believe them to
be missing.
I hope that your work continues
for many years to come but also believe
it unfair that these expenses should be
borne by your family as in my opinion there
should be some centralised funding for such
work.
I look forward to our continued
friendship.
Mr A. Loze - Nepthew of
Sgt. T.V. Lewis |
