E&E : ontsnapping

Comeet lijn: 

Individu Nom/Matricule :Charley J. GARVEY Jr / O-797664
Naissance/Décès :le 04 novembre 1920 Caroline du Nord / en mars 1980, Seymour, Tennessee
Adresse :Route #2, Silvia, Tennessee
Unité :USAAF 356 Fighter Group 360 Fighter Squadron
Grade :1 Lt
Fonction :pilote
Zone d'atterrissage :Limbourg belge
 
Avion Type :Republic P-47D-6-RE Thunderbolt
N° série :42-74638
Immatriculation/Nom :PI-D / "Nashville Belle"
Abattu :perdu le 20 mars 1944
Localisation :écrasé près de Loxbergen, 4km au Nord de Kortenaken, Limbourg belge
Thunderbolt
Action de Comète Réception :EVA
Interrogatoire :EVA
Hébergeurs :
Guides nationaux :PORTZENHEIM
Guide international :
Durée :
Arrêté :en fin avril 1944 sur la fausse ligne KLM

Gegevens van ontsnappingshelpers: Eugeen Therie (Halen)

                                

                       His dogtag from prisonercamp

 

http://www.cieldegloire.com/014_garvey_c_j.php

End of March 1944 granted the resistance Herk - de-Stad shelter and food to the American Charley J. Garvey .

Garvey was  to make an emergency landing near Loksbergen .

Fets , Bellen and Stas of Loksbergen gave him first aid and brought him to safety.

Thiery and Leenaers from the resistance were notified. The escape line was interrupted and Thiery  immediately went looking for a new contact .. He went to Felix Wellens , a brewer at Lummen who together with his brother , the painter Charles Wellens of Hasselt , dealing with aid to aviators . It was agreed that he bring Garvey next day in the evening to Lummen and to submerge him temporarily in the convent of the Brothers of Charity

The men of Loksbergen brought  the American  at the border of the town Halen, where Thiery and Leenaerts would take him.

Leenaerts and his brother Laurent  Ruelens had the day before a command executed. On their return  the Germans had taken them under fire . If by miracle no one was hurt !

Leenaerts was so shocked by the shooting that he was unable to help Thiery . Therefore Thiery took the American with him and trusted him to Wellens at Lummen .

But at next day Wellens was early in Eugene Thiery's house because he feared that the pilot was a German agent . Thiery immediately went back to Lummen and questioned Garvey again.

Wellens and the director of the Brothers of Charity, Brother Achiel (J. H. Roes) were reassured . The director assured Thiery he could always count on him.

Then Felix Wellens led Garvey to the family Colaris in Hasselt .

Ms. Collaris accompanied him to Brussels .

Garvey left for Thiery a thank note.

 

From Helpers Files:

Eugene Thiery (Herk-de-Stad):

Colaris (Hasselt)