Aviation Archaeology of World War Ii Gander
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AVIATION ARCHAEOLOGY OF WORLD WAR II GANDER: AN EXAMINATION OF MILITARY AND CIVILIAN LIFE AT THE NEWFOUNDLAND AIRPORT. by © Lisa M. Daly A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts Memorial University of Newfoundland April 2015 St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador ABSTRACT This project examines the Second World War (WWII) history of the Newfoundland Airport (Gander, Newfoundland), with a focus on civilian and military life on the base, and the potential for aviation archaeology to enhance the historical record. To accomplish this, ten WWII era airplane crash sites were examined archaeologically, using a variety of methods depending on the state of the wreck and the environment of the site. On the grounds of the original airbase, the Royal Canadian Air Force Globe Theatre was excavated to determine the viability of excavating areas of the former nearby town site and to examine the material culture of those living at the base. In particular, information was sought on potential interactions between the three main countries residing and working at Gander in WWII; Canada, the United States, and Newfoundland. The aircraft crash sites yielded information about the crashes themselves, modern reuse of sites, and the potential risk of disturbance. They also allowed for further development of archaeological methods to be used at other aviation sites around Newfoundland and Labrador. A major conclusion of this study is that base life was less segregated than official documents indicated, and that there was a significant amount of cooperation and flow of goods between the three countries. A combination of archaeological, documentary and memory research indicated a more relaxed atmosphere to the base, but still a realization of the importance to the work being done and the impact of the war on those serving at Gander. This project has set much of the groundwork for further archaeological study in this province, where numerous aviation sites of historical importance and war-era aviation and naval bases have yet to be researched, such as the WWII and Cold War facilities in Stephenville. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Michael Deal. Thank you to my volunteers, Missy Cousins, Maryanne Baird, Kathleen Ellwood, Chelsee Arbour and Matthew Brake for helping on many of my sites. I would not have finished without your help. Thank you Eric Guiry for your amazingly hard work and collaboration, and to Dominque Kane and Courtney Merner for your long hours. A big thank you to Shannon Green for trailblazing, finding the deepest bogs, endless patience and a glass of whiskey whenever I was frustrated or stuck. Thank you to the Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest for allowing me to survey the site, hosting talks about my field work, and getting me CBC Radio interviews. If you are in Gander, visit Thomas Howe, the trails are beautiful. While you're there, check out the North Atlantic Aviation Museum and the Gander International Airport. Both organizations provided information and permission. I would never have identified everything without the help of Megan Russell and the members of the Avalon Historic Aircraft Recovery Association, and would not have known where to look without the help of historian, Darrel Hillier. Thank you to Stephen Richey for his knowledge of modern crash mechanics and their applications to archaeological sites. I look forward to future collaboration. On a logistics side, thank you to Memorial University and the Department of Archaeology for space and equipment, the Provincial Archaeology Office of Newfoundland and Labrador for funding and permits and T&M Associates Ltd. for transport. Finally, thank you to the people of Gander for your interest and support. I hope we will continue to work together. iii CONTRIBUTIONS TO AVIATION ARCHAEOLOGY 2009 The Social Effects of North American Bases on Newfoundland Perceptions and Way of Life (public lecture). North Atlantic Aviation Museum Annual General Meeting, Gander, May 2009. 2010 Mapping and Memories: The Methods and Impact of Investigating World War II Aircrash Sites (presentation). Aldrich Interdisciplinary Lecture and Conference, Graduate Student Union of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, March 2010. CBC Grand Falls/Central Morning Show (radio interview). Aviation Archaeology in Gander, NL. 18 August 2010. Aviation Archaeology in Gander: A Look at the B-17 in the Tomas Howe Demonstration Forest (public presentation). Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest, Gander, August 2010. CBC St. John's Morning Show (radio interview). Aviation Archaeology in Gander, NL. 23 August 2010. CBC Radio-Canada Atlantique (entrevue par radio). Archéologie en Gander, Terre- Neuve (doublé). 23 au 24 août 2010. Uncovering Gander: Public Archaeology in the Former Town Site of Gander, Newfoundland (poster presentation with Eric Guiry). The Shifting Environments of Archaeology: the 44th Annual Charmool Archaeology Conference, University of Calgary, November 2010. 2011 Flight Path: A Look at the Cultural Uses of Aviation Sites in Newfoundland and Labrador (presentation). Aldrich Interdisciplinary Lecture and Conference, Graduate Student Union of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, February 2011. 2010 Survey of World War II Aircraft Crash Sites In and Around Gander, Newfoundland. Provincial Archaeology Office 2010 Archaeology Review, 9, 2011. Flight Path: A Look at the Cultural Uses of Aviation Sites in Newfoundland and Labrador (presentation). Current Archaeology on the Island of Newfoundland, Annual Meeting of the Canadian Archaeology Association, Halifax, May 2011. Aviation Archaeology In Newfoundland and Labrador (two day lecture). Department of Education of Newfoundland and Labrador Enrichment Short Course, May 2011. CBC Grand Falls/Central Morning Show (radio interview). Aviation Archaeology in Gander, NL. 6 July 2011. iv The B-17 in the Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest: History and Archaeology (public presentation). Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest, Gander, August 2011. CBC Grand Falls/Central Morning Show (radio interview). Field Season Follow-Up and the Future of Aviation Archaeology in Gander, NL. 10 August 2011. Profiles for Success: Aviation Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador (panel presentation). Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Annual General Meeting, September-October 2011. 2012 Flights and Film: 2011 Field Work in Gander, NL (with Eric Guiry). Provincial Archaeology Office 2011 Archaeology Review, 10, 2012. How to Map Chaos and Destruction: Adapting Archaeological Methods to survey World War II Aviation Sites in Newfoundland and Labrador (presentation). Aldrich Interdisciplinary Lecture and Conference, Graduate Student Union of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, St. John's, March 2012. Aviation Archaeology In Newfoundland and Labrador (two day lecture). Department of Education of Newfoundland and Labrador Enrichment Short Course, May 2012. CBC Radio Weekend AM (radio interview). The Hindenburg over Newfoundland and Labrador. 3 June 2012. Aviation Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador (lecture). Shad Valley International, July 2012. The Telegram Live Interview (online chat interview). An Air Tragedy Near Stephenville 66 Years Ago Today. www.thetelegram.com, 3 October 2012. The Forgotten Crash (newspaper article by Steve Bartlett). The Telegram. 3 October 2012. The North Atlantic Squadron: A Survey of World War II Aviation Archaeology Sites in Gander, Newfoundland (presentation). Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology 2012 Conference, St. John's, 4-7 October 2012. 2013 Plans and Profiles: Lisa Daly Researching WWII Airplane Crash Sites in Newfoundland (blog interview by Tim Rast). Elfshot sticks and stones, www.elfsotgallery.blogspot.ca, 25 January 2013. The Crash Hill Crash: Surveying the Site of the Stephenville AOA Crash of 1946 (with Shannon K. Green). Provincial Archaeology Office 2012 Archaeology Review, 11: 42- 47, 2013. A Tale of Two Bogs: Aviation Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador (lecture). Shipwreck Preservation Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, May 2013. v Aviation Archaeology In Newfoundland and Labrador (two day lecture). Department of Education of Newfoundland and Labrador Enrichment Short Course, May 2013. Searching for the Hindenburg (newspaper article by Garrett Barry). The Telegram, 15 June 2013. Aviation Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador (lecture). Shad Valley International, July 2013. The Arrow Air Disaster (lecture). Shad Valley International, July 2013. Archaeologist to Give Talk on Historic Plane Crash Site (newspaper article by Corey Hurley). The Western Star, 8 August 2013. Archaeologist Researching Crash Hill Through Local Responders (newspaper article by Corey Hurley). The Western Star, 09 August 2013. Archaeologist Researching Crash Hill Through Local Responders (newspaper article by Corey Hurley). The Telegram, 09 August 2013. Archaeologist Researching Crash Hill Through Local Responders (newspaper article by Corey Hurley). The Georgian, 09 August 2013. Aircraft Archaeology in Bay St. George: A Look at Garden Hill and Crash Hill (public presentation). Stephenville Regional Art and History Museum, Stephenville, August 2013. The North Atlantic Squadron: A Survey of World War II Aviation Archaeology Sites in Gander, Newfoundland. Canadian Aviation Historic Society Journal, 51(4), 2013. 2014