I hope everyone is doing well, or as well as can be expected. It has certainly been a high stress month, so I hope you will forgive me for a simple post.
Last month, I gave a talk for the Newfoundland and Labrador Historical Society. I was quite flattered to be invited to talk about aviation archaeology in the province, and appreciated the questions and comments that came after the presentation. The NL Historical Society made an audio recording of the talk, which is on their website, here. Instead of providing a transcription, you can listen to the talk and look at the following slides which accompanied it. The slides are all cited, and many images come from The Rooms, the Digital Archives Initiative, the Conception Bay Museum, and the Gander Airport Historical Society. Anything not cited is my own pictures. I also reference by own work in Canadians and War Vol. 3 (on sale at the time of this post) and Darrell Hillier’s thesis, Stars, Stripes, and Sacrifice.
Photo credits: top left: Barnes et al. 1944; bottom left: Lisa M. Daly; right: Shannon K. Green
Slide 2 – Aviation History in Newfoundland and Labrador
Many NL communities have stories of aircraft overhead, famous aviators, missing flights, and plane crashes. Some communities were created or shaped by aviation and the building of aerodromes in the Second World War #PATC3
Map from Toporama 2019
Slide 3 – The Crash of USAAF 42-107427
USAAF C-54A 42-107427 crashed on the Port-au-Port Peninsula en route to Harmon Field, when sloppy weather blew it off course. 9 or 18 crew died on site, 3 later in hospital. Survivors walked to a nearby town where locals helped them. #PATC3 https://bit.ly/2Sck2ui
Slide 4 – Documentary & Archaeological Record
The site has been disturbed, the archaeological record is fragmented. The accident report is available & is a mix of technical language and witness statements. One newspaper article from 1944 rightfully worried about damage if a highway is built nearby #PATC3
Slide 5 – Public Presentation
At a presentation at the Stephenville #museum, I shared the info I had (arch and report), while the community shared related stories. The @western_star carried an article “archaeologist researching […] through local responders” #PATC3
Stephenville Regional Museum of History and Art. Photo by Lisa M. Daly
Slide 6 – Public Engagement
This engagement allowed me to hear the story of the museum’s propeller. It was recovered from the wreck and the tip removed to make spinning wheel spindle. It stayed in the craftman’s yard until the museum opened and a resident offered to collect it #PATC3
Photo by Lisa M. Daly
Slide 7 – Personal Touches
Witness statements tell how the crash was experienced “there was no confusion among the passengers” “I could hear the trees cracking” “the plane made a jerk like it hit an air pocket or something” “whether I walked through or was thrown though, I don’t know” #PATC3
Slide 8 – Map vs. Aerial Photo
Hand-drawn maps show what the author considered important to relate but do not capture the chaos and confusion seen in aerial site photos that show the actual wreckage. Personal, but at the same time, controlled. #PATC3
Slide 9 – Site Use
Since the crash, besides the propeller, the site was rarely visited. With the construction of a nearby road, the aircraft material has been mostly removed, a sign directs people to the site, a bench, campfires and decoratively arranged ceramics show site use #PATC3
Photo by Shannon K. Green
Slide 9 – Multidisciplinary
Combining all these elements gives a more complete story and makes it easier for people to engage and relate to the story, especially family and community members. Information is more accessible, less sterile, more personal. #PATC3
Slide 10 – Bias
This approach helps address bias, even your own. Sharing many elements of the story encourages others to share, and all the information can be critically assessed. Being open to new information encourages others to contribute, especially the public #PATC3
Slide 12 – Newfoundlanders as Storytellers
Newfoundlanders & Labradoreans love to hear & tell stories. Combining the archaeological, documentary, & folkloric elements to create the story of the site makes information accessible to interested parties & encourages others to share their part of the story #PATC3
Site Specific References
Barnes, George E., Barnie B. McEntire, and Robert H. Augustinus
1944 U.S. Army Forces Report of Aircraft Accident: Vicinity Cape St. George, Newfoundland. War Department: Harmon Field, Newfoundland.
