|
Trooper Blackmon |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The death of Trooper Blackmon - Sgt. Earl Wrightman |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
We had heard great activity across the
river nightly, while in the vicinity of the red bakeshop. We often reported
the nightly enemy activity in our reports to our squadron headquarters.
One day it was dicided to place a shoot on the target. In preparation I sent the very brave Sgt. Ray Smith out to observe the "shoot" with his binoculars and report to me via a land line telephone we had rigged. When the officer in charge of the anti-tank guns positioned them on the dike raad immediately in front of the bakeshop, where we were staying, in it's attached vehicle garage, I complained to my troop officer and asked hifi to'have the gun moved, so that it would not draw unnacessary fire on our position. He went out and asked to have them removed. He returned and told me that his request was refused and that they were of equal rank, so there was nothing that he could do about it. I told him that there certainly was, as he was in command of the post(supposedly). He would not do it. After a few shots were fired Sgt. Smith reported to me that they were off target and he gave me the corrections to get them on the target. I went out to give the officer of the guns the corrections. He was already hooking up his guns to depart in greät haste. I told him that he had not hit the target and requested him to fire where Sgt. Smith had requested. He refused, saying that it was unsafe to stay in the exposed position longer. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
As it was by now nearing noontime I
decided that we shoud start our meal preparation. (We did not have cooks
when we were in isolated field positions). I detailed Trooper Blackmon to
peel the potatos. He had always willingly complied with any orders given to
him. On this occasion he said: "But sergeant, I peeled the potatos yesterday".
I said: "I didn't realize that Blacky,"(the soldiers mostly only knew
eachother by nickname or sumame," but with other people on other duties
there is not much that I can do about it. However I will make it up to you
on another day". We considered peeling potatos beneath the dignity of
fighting troopers. Blacky quite willingly complied. He sat on a ration box directly in front of me and began the task. The Dutch house we had found often had thick concrete floors. When we first arrived at this bakeshop, we had previously checked on the quickest route to the basement, for protection against incoming shells. Just as Blacky began to peel the potatos, a salvo of German shells landed very close to our position. one exploded on the pavement, directly outside the double garage doors. Due to our training we automaticly dashed to the safety of the basement. I noticed that Blacky pitched forward from his sitting position, directly in front of me. I thought that he was taking cover in his manner. When the shelling stopped, I thought, how fortunate that none of us had been hit. |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nov. 1944: Members of 8th Can.Recce Regt. at the house of the Rutten-family in Dreumel. In front from left tot right: Vic Vachon and Ken Blackmon (killed some days later in Dreumel). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I asked the crew commanders to verify that their crews were all accounted for. Corporal J. A. M. Smith said that Blacky was missing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I told him to go up and check on him. He
quickly returned and said:"Earl, Blacky is dead. I said: "That is impossible.
I saw him dive off the box in front of me. He can't be dead that fast,
because I didn't see a mark on him". He replied, sadly, "he is dead. Come up
and see". Unfortunately, Corporal Smith was right. Trooper Blackmon was already turning black. He was bleeding very black blood, from an inch hole behind his right ear. I am sorry to be so graphic, but as you know, war is never pretty. Trooper Blackmon was Corporal Smith's driver, Ironically Blackmon was bom in Holland and was killed in Holland, on his 21st birthday. In a day or two we asked to be
temporarily relieved from om duties, so that we could give our good comrade
"Blacky" a proper burial. About a dozen or more of us rode in the back of a
60cwt truck with him. It was necessary for us to hold the stretcher down
with our feet, due to the rough shell pocked roads. We were pleased that we
able to accord him a rather formal burial. It was the first time we had been
able to do this for one of our fallen comrades. I have often wondered if his
relatives knew of this and how much we missed this cheerful young man. I
believe that he is buried in the large Canadian cemetry near Nijmegen. I am
happy to relate this story, as I think the people of Dreumel should know of
"Blacky's sacrifice". |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earl Wrightman, Belleville, Ontario (Can.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sergeant C Sqd. 11 troop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Can. Recce Regt. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (adapted from: Soldier abroad, page 21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
On the stone there is some additional information: |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He died that his son might live in a world of peace" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In 1996 I started a searchto find the son of Trooper Blackmon. In1998 I found Peter F. Blackmon. Like his father he is living at Thunderbay. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lettre of Peter Blackmon, son of Trooper Orville Blackmon |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dear Mr. van Koolwijk, Enclosed is a picture of my father as well as his national registration card issued in 1943. It states that my dad was born in Stratford, Ontario, December 9, 1924. He met my mom in Thunderbay (Porth Arthur) in 1942 and was a sailor on the Great Lakes. He was a deckhand. He voluntered in 1942 in Thunderbay. He married my mom september 1943 in Owensound. They kept in touch with letters after he was shipped overseas. My dad was very happy when i was born (August 23, 1944) enclosed is a postcard he sent my mom for me. I would appreciate it if you can place this at his grave site to let him know I received the card and still cherish it. My mom has not visited the Netherlands, but i visited the grave site in 1995. My wife and I were very impressed with the respect the people show for the soldiers which died and were buried in their country. I am glad the memory is being kept alive. thank you very much. sincerely, Peter F. Blackmon
|
  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
September 8, 1944 My dear son, You are much too young to read, but may your mother give you my love and god keeps you safe till this job is done and i can come home to you both. All my love XXXXXXXXXXX y our father |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
