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This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Ian Ellis on behalf of Greg Drozdz, David Guyett, Remco Immerzeel, Albert Nuttall and Andrew White. The stories and pictures have been added to the site with their permission. The authors fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

This is the Chapter 6 of 6 chapters telling the story of The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien. There are other articles including an epilogue describing the 60th Anniversary Commemoration Service held in Rebr茅chien on July 28th 2004.

ABC Lancaster Crash at Rebrechien 28/29 July 1944

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Comments from researching the Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien

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The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - The Ties That Bind Us

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This is the continuation of Chapter 5 with further stories about the crew themselves.

Sergeant Eric Ronald Brown: The Mid-Upper Turret Gunner
The family of Eric Brown has just been traced in Victoria, Australia. Valerie White, nee Brown, and her son Andrew White won鈥檛 be able to attend the commemoration but send us their 鈥渢houghts and best wishes鈥�. Eric was a person who forged strong bonds with people around him. In the case of his unit at Ludford Magna, he made it a point to regularly invite colleagues on leave to the family flat in Surrey.

Valerie White, nee Brown, Eric鈥檚 sister, remembers him:"My brother was working as a clerk for a solicitor's office and then a publishing house before enlisting in the Airforce as a volunteer when he was 18. I was four years younger, and was on holiday with my grandparents in Rottingham, near Bright, in Sussex when the war broke out. It had been decided initially that all children should leave London and go to the coastal areas if possible, so I remained with my grandparents. Later it was decided that it may not be safe in coastal areas and children were moved inland. I was 13 at the time, and was sent to live with a family in a country area. I returned to my family when I was 15 as I was able to obtain a job in London. My mother was dubious about me returning, as the Blitz had not ended, but it was explained that there were so many children in the school where I was that I wasn鈥檛 really obtaining a good education anyway, so my mother relented".

I was absent from my family for about two years before moving back to London. These were formative years for her brother, as he was about 17 when I left, and was in the Air force by the time I returned. I really remember him as a 'boy' when she left, who was allowed to do all the things I couldn't, like staying up late! When I returned he was a young man, full of the excitement of life. I said he was a quiet person, with a good sense of humour
Eric鈥檚 log shows that he qualified as a Gunner with effect from 6 November 1943. Valerie鈥檚 husband commented on his proficiency assessment in March 1944 that lists him as 鈥榓verage鈥�, prompting Valerie to say, 鈥淏ut you know, that鈥檚 just what he was: an average guy! He didn't plan to be a hero or anything special in the war. He was there to do a job, just like many of the young men who signed up.鈥� Further remarks on proficiency in his log book in May 1944 read, "A capable gunner who should prove a good crew member."

Valerie remembers, "Eric and the pilot, Peter Hyland, always came to London to stay with my mother and I when they had leave. They were always having a good laugh and the war then was a very exciting 'occupation' for young men. I remember Eric and Peter being enthusiastic to experience an air raid over London, as they had heard of the 鈥榝lying bombs鈥�, but had no experience of them. "Do you think we'll see a flying bomb? 禄 I remember them asking, and they'd hang out of the windows to watch the planes flying over. When they finally did experience a bombing raid they were shocked and told my mother and I that we should be moving away!"
Valerie recalls, "There were many stories about the crew, and how we used to laugh when Eric and Peter recalled these on leave. I remember how Paddy (Thomas Crane) would go to the pub when allowed to go into town, and how, upon leaving, would 'borrow' one of the many bicycles lined up outside the pub and ride it back to the base. He would leave it there, outside the fence, so it could be retrieved. They were always up to some lark or other!"

She did say though, that "despite all the laughing and joking when the two young men returned on leave, she sensed a 'fear' about them after they had been on operations. Nothing of course was ever said.
From his log entries, the actual operations involving combat probably didn鈥檛 begin until May 1944. In an entry on 6 July 1944, after being involved in combat two nights before, Eric describes that night鈥檚 flight (eight and a half hours to Dijon) as a 鈥渜uiet, but boring trip". If only all his flights could have been so "boring" On the fourth flight after this night their plane came down".

This is what Eric鈥檚 Mother wrote to Albert Tuuri鈥檚 sister:

October 1st, 1944
From : Mrs. Eileen A. Brown, London, England
To : Mrs. R. P. Nuttall (sister of Albert Tuuri), Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada
Dear Mrs. Nuttall
I am the mother of Eric Brown, the other gunner in your brother鈥檚 crew, and I am writing to offer you my deep and heartfelt sympathy in this anxiety which we share. Your brother visited us once when on leave and we had a pleasant time. The pilot used to stay with us when on leave and the navigator has also visited us. We often wished we could meet the other boys in the crew for we heard so much about them, and I can assure you that it would have been hard to find a crew who were so happy together - they seemed to be in complete harmony. We must keep hoping and praying that they are safe and that we shall be re-united before long.

I am wondering if you have had any news of your brother and, if so, if you will be kind enough let me know? I will, of course, write you if I have any news of Eric, and if there is anything I can do, such as making enquiries about Al, please tell me and I will do all I can. It must be very hard for you not having seen your brother for so long. I at least was fortunate in being able to have Eric during his leaves.
What a blessing it will be when this long and ghastly war is over. It is dreadful that all these young lives should be endangered, but at last, the news is so good that it really looks as if the end is in sight.
Again I offer my sincere sympathy and let us hope that we shall all have good news of our boys soon.
With kind regards,
Yours very sincerely,
Eileen A. Brown

August 1945 / Letter from Albert Tuuri鈥檚 younger brother Walter
Walter visited Mrs. Brown and her daughter Valerie at their flat in Surrey, England. Walter admitted to being a little apprehensive at first, putting it down to the fact that he had never met them. His reticence surely had more to do with the inevitable discussion that would take place on the loss of his brother and his friend. When they parted, Walter vowed to visit again before returning to Canada. He was quite taken up with the Browns and pleased that he had gone out of his way to say hello on behalf of the Tuuri family.

December 1945 / Christmas Card
There is no record of any further contact with Mrs. Brown except for this one last card to Canada. With all hope dashed, it contained no mention of the great loss both families had suffered.

Finally, other relatives from the crew have visited Eileen and Valerie in Upper Norwood. We know that at least Peter Hyland鈥檚 brother, Harold has met them too.

Sergeant Albert , William Tuuri: The Rear Gunner

Born October 10, 1913, together with twin brother Wilbert Hector, to immigrant Finnish parents Esaias Emil and Maria Eleonora Tuuri in the rural community of Intola, about 13 km (8 miles) west of Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, Canada.
One of a family of 9 (7 boys, 2 girls), he was raised on the small Tuuri farm. During his pre-school years he suffered infantile paralysis and his mother massaged his limbs until he recovered. Tutored by her during his illness, he was regarded as a bright child and was elevated to grade 2 on entry to public school. He and his siblings attended SS no. 4, the one-room school at Intola.

By the late 1930s the Tuuri children had grown to adulthood (3 married with families, 6 helping on the farm and, at times, employed elsewhere). With the early death of their mother, Maria, in May 1938, only the father, Emil, and one of the sons, Albert, lived on the farm. Then on July 1, 1940, while felling timber in his woodlot, Emil was struck by the limb of a falling tree and fatally injured. Afterwards no one remained on the farm.

Albert soon became employed at Crighton Mine in Sudbury, Ontario. His youngest brothers, Harold and Walter worked at Canada Car, a manufacturer of Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft, and lived in Thunder Bay. His twin brother Wilbert meanwhile was employed in the mines at Geraldton, Ontario.

On April 6, 1942 Albert enlisted in the RCAF. Siblings Wilbert, Harold and Walter joined the Canadian Army. In early November of 1943, following a one month stint at the RCAF鈥檚 bombing & air gunnery school in Mont Joli, Quebec, Albert went overseas. Once there he was assigned to no. 101 Squadron of the RAF based at Ludford Magna, England. Albert and his fellow crew-members were declared missing when they failed to return from an air operation to Stuttgart, Germany July 28, 1944. Years later, when we gained possession of Albert鈥檚 personal flying log, we noted that he and his crew had flown numerous missions starting in February of that year and that our uncle had been the tail gunner.

Memories of our uncle Albert Tuuri, Thunder Bay / May 2004

Albert Tuuri was my uncle and my father鈥檚 younger brother. He was one of nine children (2 girls, 7 boys). His twin brother, Wilbert served in the army in the campaign in Italy. They had two younger brothers, Harold and Walter, who again were twins and they too were in the army and fought in the European campaign. Harold was killed in a forest in Belgium 7 months after Albert lost his life. Wilbert and Walter survived the war but have now passed away. Aunt Laura, the youngest sibling, is the only one still living.

I was about 10 years old the last time I saw Albert. He came to visit us before going overseas. I remember how handsome he looked in his blue uniform. He had an old Essex car and took us up to the village store where he bought my brother and I a candy bar and ice cream cone. I was very upset when we received word that he was missing in action. Albert was loved by us all and we will never forget him.

I am 73 years old, have raised 5 children and my wife and myself have been married for 53 years.
Ralph Turrie, nephew.

Thunder Bay /May 2004

In the 1940s, I was a young boy, turning 10 years old on July 29, 1943. My parents, Roy and Ina Nuttall, owned our four-bedroom home at 214 Van Horne Street, Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. One room was for my parents, one for my two sisters, one for my brother and me, and one for my uncles. On occasion each of my uncles Albert, Harold, and Walter occupied the spare bedroom.

Here are a few of my childhood memories of
my uncle Albert. I first remember Albert staying with us, having just returned from Sudbury, Ontario. He was a handsome black-haired man . How I admired his black hair.
He parked his black Essex motor car beside our house and it stayed there for what seemed a very long time. Each time I walked by it, my curiosity was perked by the small rubber-bladed propeller fan mounted inside on the windshield, the first I had seen. I don鈥檛 remember whether I ever got to ride in the car. Later I learned that Albert was going to sell it and I yearned to get its small metal tool box.

I did not see Albert again, but at Christmas 1941 I received his gift of a child鈥檚 toy doctor鈥檚 case. Perhaps out of his childhood experience with polio he was suggesting a medical profession for me.
Finally, I remember coming home on a grey day to find my mother seated at the kitchen table, a piece of paper in front of her, quietly crying. I said nothing, I could think of nothing to say. I still don鈥檛 know for which uncle she was crying. Perhaps both.
Garfield A. Nuttall, nephew

The following passages are intended to provide glimpses of the involvement of the other Tuuri siblings in the war effort.

Twins Harold and Walter only met once while overseas. It was a chance encounter somewhere in a war-ravaged region of Holland. When they parted company, Harold was to report back to the battle front.
The following week - ominously on the very day that Harold passed away (Feb 28, 1945- Walter sat down to write a letter to the folks back home about their impromptu reunion. At that point he was completely unaware of his twin brother鈥檚 fate. It was not until three weeks later that he received the devastating news in a letter from the family. In a poignant response he talked about the loss of his twin, and friend, whom he respected so highly.

Wilbert too most certainly grieved the loss of his twin brother Albert but he was not one to reveal his inner-most thoughts in correspondence. When he was first informed that his twin brother and fellow crew-members had been reported missing in action, he expressed hope that they would be found safe. Alas this was not to be.

The tragic deaths of Albert and Harold weighed very heavily on all members of the Tuuri family. They mostly suffered in silence as they did not want to stifle the lives and aspirations of the younger generation who at least could now look forward to peaceful times.

The following passages, taken from a letter written in March 1945 by older brother, Waldemar, pretty much sum up the sentiments of the other siblings back in Canada. Uncle Wally had settled out in Alberta and shared his grief and sense of helplessness with his sister Ina :
"I just don鈥檛 know what to say as it was quite a shock to hear about Albert and now Harold, except to send you my deepest and sincere sympathy, as I realise those boys were closer to you than anyone else in the family. As for myself, I regret that I didn鈥檛 get to see and know them before this war started. ..... then to realise that some of the boys over there are wounded and have to go back into action before they have hardly had time to recover ! Let us hope and pray that Wilbert and Walter come through it all. All we can do is to wish them both the best of luck and courage."
Elmer, another brother, cabled money to 'the boys' on two occasions. The first set of transactions was for payments to all four brothers while the second carried only three names, Albert having since been reported missing in action.

Valerie White, nee, White, Eric Brown鈥檚 sister, remembers Albert very well: Eric and Thomas used to comment on how quiet and unruffled Albert Tuuri was. Al hadn't seen his brother for about two years, when he walked in as they were playing cards. Albert just looked up and calmly said, "Hi", as if he'd seen him every day, and apparently resumed the game. If, in the plane, Al said, 'You'd better weave a little skipper", it really meant "You'd better get the hell out of here!"

Overview of Tuuri family and offspring

Father, Esaias Emil Tuuri
Mother, Maria Eleonora Kinnunen
1) Edward Turrie (Alma Maki) - 5 boys, 5 girls
2) Ina Tuuri (Roy Nuttall) - 2 boys, 2 girls
3) Waldemar Terry (Ada Fisher) - 2 boys, 2 girls
4) Elmer Tuuri (Martha Pajamaki) - 1 boy, 1 girl
5) Albert Tuuri - never married, died WW2
6) Wilbert Tuuri (Jessie Philips) - 2 boys, served WW2
7) Harold Tuuri - never married, died WW2
8) Walter Turrie - never married, served WW2
9) Laura Tuuri (Nels Johnson), 1 girl

"When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today."

This is the final Chapter 6 telling the story of The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien. The other chapters are as follows:

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