Je me souviens très bien de cette matinée alors que j'avais 14 ans.
Un des moteurs est tombe sur le mur de la cloture, rue du Presbytere, a droite de la grille d'entree. Les fils electriques casses ont ete repares par ligatures provisoires, cette reparation est toujours visible ainsi que la reparation du mur en maconnerie*
C'est une petite employee: « CAMILLE » qui a distingué par la fenetre de la cuisine, a l’arriere de la maison d'habitation, quelque chose bouger sur le tas de sciure de l'usine située derriere la propriete, sur un terrain en denivele a I'epoque, a une vingtaine de metres.
Messieurs Dede DUPUIS et Jacques RUDEAUX qui se trouvaient a proximite l'ont sorti du tas de sciure et ramene a l'habitation (piece a droite de l'entree) et depose sur un divan.
Ma mere lui a nettoye le visage noir de fumee. Je me souviens qu'il bougeait les bras, et à demi- inconscient, je l'ai touché, celui-ci etait grand, d'un type legerement asiatique. «
Debut 1946, des americains sont venus enqueter et nous questionner sur les circonstances de la chute de cet aviateur, sans donner d'autre explication. En 1990, j'ai appris que notre aviateur etait vivant, j'en fût surpris puisque celui-ci n'a pas cherché à prendre contact sur les faits de sa survie miraculeuse.
Une partie de la carlingue est tombee dans la cour de la ferme VAN HASSCHE en face de la place, actuellement place des AFN. Un aviateur etait reste a l'interieur et a peri carbonise. L'incendie provoquait l'eclatement des cartouches de tous les cotes. Les enfants VAN HASSCHE restes dans la maison de la ferme ont étésorti. par un voisin par la fenetre, cotéPlace, sans incident. Une vache a eu une come arrachee. Un cheval a eu la jaunisse et a ete abattu quelques jours apres.
L'aviateur carbonise a ete sorti. de la carlingue quelques heures apres par Monsieur Roland IDELOT.
Un autre aviateur est tombe sur un arbre dans le verger, face a la grille de l'entree, rue du Presbytere.
La chute de l'aviateur sur le toit de la maison de Monsieur PATTE pres de la Mairie est peut etre la consequence de sa mort, cette personne agée, tres choquée, cardiaque est decedée le 13 fevrier suivant.
D'autres sont tombés dissemmés sur le village, sans, pouvoir donner l'endroit exact, rue du Presbytere et rue de Boursonne.
Les restes de l'avion ont ete eparpillés un peu partout sur Pisseleux.
Que de Souvenirs.
Jean-Claude DEQUECKER |
|
I remember this morning very well, I was fourteen at the time.
One of the engines fell on the wall of the fence, Presbytère street, one the right of the entry raillings. The broken electric cables have been repaired with temporary links, this repair is still visible today, as well as that of the wall itself.
It was a home employee named Camille who, through the kitchen window behind the family home, saw something moving on the factory sawdust pile located behind the estate, on a plot that was sloped at the time, some twenty yards away.
Mr. Dede Dupuis and Jacques Rudeaux who were in the vinicity took him out of the sawdust and brought him in the house (in the room on the right of the hall) and laid him on a sofa.
My mother cleaned his face darkened by smoke. I remember he was moving his arms, and, half-conscious, I touched him; he was a tall man, of slightly asian features.
In early 1946, americans came to lead an enquiry and question us about the circumstances of the fall of this airman, without giving any other explanation. In 1990, I learnt that our airman was still alive, and I was much surprised since the latter did not try to get in touch with us about the facts of his miraculous survival.
One part of the airframe fell in the courtyard of the Van Assche farm on the opposite side of the square, now the official AFN Square (dedicated to the memory of the colonial wars soldiers). One airman had remained trapped inside and died charred.
the fire triggered the explosion of cartridges on all sides. Van Assche children who had stayed in the farmhouse were taken out of there by a neighbour, from the square side, with no incident. A cow had a horn torn apart. A horse suffered from Jaundisse and had to be put down a few days later.
The charred airman was taken out of the airframe a few hours later by Mr. Roland Idelot.
Another airman fell onto a tree in the orchard, in front of the entry railing, on Presbytere street.
The fall of the airman on the roof of the house of Mr. Patte, near the townhall is maybe the cause of his death, for this elderly person, much shocked by the event, suffering from the heart, died on the following Feb 13th.
Others fell scattered around the village, without being able to tell where exactly, in Presbytere street and Boursonne street.
The remains of the aircraft were scattered all over Pisseleux.
What a thing to remember ! |
|
