Key Dates in Dad's Life

1940 to 46	Barry Needham served with the RCAF’s primarily with 412 Squadron during WWII
1944       July 7     Needham was shot down over Bons-Tassilly, France, at 2 p.m. and taken prisoner by the German SS. Just 34 days later Patton and the American army liberated the area and Needham was freed.	1957       December           After learning about the many difficult landings encountered by air ambulance during the transportation of patients, four Wynyard residents held a meeting concerning the possibility of developing an airstrip near town. The founding members included Needham, Walter Magnusson, George Bolt, and Kelly Park.
1958                       June Land was purchased for the airport	1961                 July 30        The airport’s official opening was held. A scheduled fly past did not occur, disappointing Needham.
1990       The north-south grass runway which served well for 30 years was replaced with an east-west paved runway	1991       June  Barry and Martha go to England to visit 411 squadron sister squadron to 412
1995                       Needham was named Wynyard Citizen of the Year.	2003       First tour of Juno Beach. It was not officially opened yet. Here he met his nurse friend Mme. Louise Ferlicot from hospital POW camp at Rennes. She is credited with saving his life by applying copious amounts of mercurochrome to his extensive burns. Dad had her name on a scrap piece of paper in his ‘war trunk’ for years and he located her by sending a letter to the editor in regional French newspapers thanks to translation from Jackie Ferraton.
2004       June  6   D Day Official opening of Juno Beach – Bored with the ceremony Dad got a chance to fly with Chris Strawson in the governor general Adrienne Clarksons Challenger over French air space to see where he was shot down.	On this same trip Barry met the ANSA group (Normandy Association for Air Remembrance) and talked about possibility of finding his downed Spitfire
2004       September Met Willy Wenger and his wife Wilma in Austria. Willy presented Barry with the shell that his brother Leopold Wenger salvaged from his plane after being hit by it over the English Channel September 17, 1942	2005       First dig Debra and Alfred,  Scott ,Martha and Barry. Found out when they got back to Canada- Wrong plane! It was an American mustang.
2006       June 19 Debra, Denise, Barry and Martha – this time they found the spitfire. What an amazing day!	2008       Falaise opening of memorial Colin, Debra and Scott went with Barry. Debra read High Flight.
2009       Barry went to France with Alfred to visit Georgette Dorn who was one of the eye witnesses to Dad baling out of his burning spitfire	2011       June Captain Chris Strawson picked up Needham in Wynyard and flew the war veteran  to Ottawa to participate in the 70th anniversary celebration for the 412 Squadron.
2011       July 22  Captain Jeff Andrews and other pilots from CFB Moose Jaw took part in a fly pass held during Wynyard’s centennial celebration. Andrews had met Needham several years earlier while serving with 412 Squadron, and the two remain close.	2011                       August 27    The dedication ceremony was held for W.B. Needham Field at Wynyard Memorial Airport. A spectacular RCAF fly pass took place. Both Capt. Strawson and Capt. Andrews participated in the fly pass and the dedication ceremony.
2014       Ray Haas publishes his book “Touching the Face of God” The story of John Gillespie Magee Jr. and his poem High Flight. Ray dedicated his book to Flight Lieutenant Barry Needham Royal Canadian Air Force 412 Squadron  ……..and to all of us who have found a home in the sky	2014       September 13  Barry flies a Harvard at the Yorkton Airport. When asked by his daughter “Could you have landed it?” his answer was “Hell yes!”
2015       February 4  Barry receives  French medal in the mail given to all living allies who participated in D Day 1944	2015      June – Twin Falls Fishing trip
2015       June 17 Martha passes celebration of her life July 25 2015	2016       March – road trip to Victoria
April – Kerluke Family Film Festival	June – Minot for private time with the Spitfire
July - Manitou & Danceland	July - west side of Diefenbaker Lake
August – Moosomin fireworks	August – Minot Air Show
Sept – Estevan Air Show	Sept – road trip to Peace River
Oct – Dan took dad to Moose Jaw 15 wing airport	Nov – Wynyard Remembrance Day
Nov – Saskatoon
2017	March – train trip/Vancouver
June  19 2017 fishing on Lake Diefenbaker Hickcock Bay for 4 hours	Dad died July 17 same day Mom died 2 years ago just 28 days after his fishing trip 73 years ago he was in the Rennes POW camp until his birthday August 8 when he turned 24