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Hartts In The News |
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| St. John Evening Times Globe | ||
June 4, 1945 |
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West Side Man, Given Up as Dead, Survives Crash
En Route to Norway |
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Saint John, New Brunswick -- The recently reported disappearance of four British planes, with 75 men, while enroute to Norway on May 9, brings to light a similar incident, involving a Saint John man, with less disastrous results. On May 10, [1945] Major Donald R. Hartt, this city, with 20 of his men set out for Norway from Britain in a Stirling Bomber. They were part of the First British Airborne Division, which at that time was moving into Nazi occupied Norway. Bad weather marked the flight, and several of the troop transports were forced to turn back. However, Major Hartt’s transport continued on its flight. On arrival over the Scandinavian Peninsula, several attempts were made to effect a landing, all of which ended in near disaster. Finally poor visibility forced the big four-motored ship down , and it crashed. Swedish newspapers displayed banner, headlines and a picture of the wrecked plane, giving an eyewitness description of the accident. The story said that, “On Thursday morning just before six o’clock, an English four-motored airplane crashed into Lake Rojden, close to the Norwegian-Swedish border at Rojdafors, Wermlands-Tidningens correspondent saw the plane from the Norwegian side as it circled around clearly preparing to make an emergency landing. For some reason, the motor stalled and the plane tilted from northwest down over the lake. Right in front of the Rojdafors customhouse station, on the eastern bank, the plane crashed into a big pine tree. The terrific impact tore off one of the wings and split the pine tree like a match. After the crash the smashed plane fell into the lake close to the shore.
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Swedish military authorities arriving on the scene discovered that four of the crew of 20 were missing. These four flyers were seated in the rear of the plane and presumably were thrown out and drowned. Other members of the crew were injured. The four men were presumed dead, and the commander of the plane, Major Hartt, gathered the survivors around him and read a prayer, followed by singing hymns as a last tribute of honor to the fallen. Swedish military authorities took the crew under their care and they were sent to Torsby. Salvage operations were started and also grappling for bodies of the four victims. In the afternoon one of the bodies was recovered.” The newspapers concluded that it was “fortunate that the plan crashed on the Swedish side, where help could be had immediately. On the Norwegian side it would have been much more difficult.” Following the accident the problem was to get into Norway, where Major Hartt and his men might rejoin their unit. The Swedish people treated the grounded and stranded British troops royally during their brief stay, and Major Hartt notified the British War Office in London of the crash. However, members of the British First Airborne Division, in Norway knew nothing of this advice forwarded to London, and a search was made over the North Sea for the “missing” aircraft. In the meantime, Major Hartt had procured the services of an interpreter, and proceeded to make his way overland and on foot to his unit headquarters in Norway. Some days later, amid happiness and surprise, his comrades welcomed him “back from the dead.”
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Major Hartt is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert. E. Hartt, 70 Lancaster Avenue, West Saint John. His wife, the former Miss Jean Stroud, makes her home at 19 Champlain Street, West. Enlisting in 1941, Major Hartt received his commission as lieutenant at Brockville, and thereafter trained at several centers in Canada, being attached to the Saint John Fusiliers before going overseas more than a year ago, on loan to the British Army. Shortly after arriving in England, Major Hartt went into action with the British Second Army in Normandy, and later saw action in Belgium and Holland. Some months ago he was posted to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers of the British First Airborne Division, a unit he has been serving with ever since. Clipping courtesy of Judy Madsen
Click on clipping to see full size. |
| THE DAILY GLEANER | ||
MARCH 4, 2002 |
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Hartt Sold |
Click on clipping to see full size. |
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By Laverne Stewart, the Daily Gleaner
After nearly a year of trying to find a financially viable use for the Hartt show factory building, Greenarm Management Ltd. has found a buyer for the century-old structure on York Street. The building was sold last Friday. The identity of the buyer, who is on vacation, will not be named until next week, said Greenarm president Bob Skillen. Skillen said he believes the new owner, who is a local entrepreneur, intends to use the building for light manufacturing. He said the former shoe manufacturing building could be converted for the commercial purpose with fewer renovations than would have been necessary under Greenarm's former plan to turn the building into office space. Skillen wouldn't disclose the purchase price but said Greenarm has managed to recover almost all of the $700,000 it had put into its purchase of the structure, aborted design efforts and environmental cleanup. "We are extremely pleased to have found a buyer who has what appears to be a workable development plan for the Hartt shoe building," Skillen said. "Although our preference would have been to redevelop the property ourselves, we are glad to know that the building will remain standing," he said. "It has been our intention all along to see the Hartt shoe building redeveloped and we are pleased to have played a lead role in making this happen."
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| Newspaper clipping Jessie Hartt daughter of Alfred E.
Hartt, Alice Lockhart daughter of Theodosia A. Hartt The Sunshine Class of Charlotte Street Baptist Church held its
closing meeting in the form of a dinner at The Castle, South Bay on Tuesday evening. Miss Jesse Hartt, the president presided. Later games and music were enjoyed. The table at dinner was adorned with multi-colored
sweet peas in a silver bowl and pal green candles in silver candlesticks. Covers were laid for 20. During the evening Miss Alice Lockhart and Mrs.
Alexander Anderson were tendered handkerchief showers by the guests. Miss Lockhart is leaving in the near future for
Vancouver to attend the annual meeting of the National Chapter I.O.D.E. Mrs. Anderson is leaving soon to reside in St.
Stephen where her husband was recently transferred.
Miss Alice Lockhart, daughter of C. B. Lockhart,
West St. John, Collector of Customs for the port of St. John. Miss Lockhart was the winner of the first prize
in The Standard Travel Club contest, securing a total of 180,090 votes and received a
prize of $700.00 Birth Announcements: EARLE- At Halifax on April
8, 1944 to Flt.-Lt. And Mrs. W. E. Earle (nee Margaret Stroud) a daughter. ( Mary
Jane’s lst cousin on her mother’s (Stroud) side.) HARTT- At Saint John on
April 19, 1944 to Capt. And Mrs. D. R. Hartt (nee Jean Stroud), a daughter, Mary Jane. Old telegram. From Theodosia A. Hartt’s husband Charles Berton Lockhart. It was written to his son Johnson Clark who married Helen Alberta Lockhart. Helen was not well for a few years before she died. She had diabetes. Posted daily remedy for pneumonia
highly recommended advise try if Helen develops it. Take eight onions chop fine in pan over hot fire cook few minutes then add same quantity rye meal if obtainable if not Indian add vinegar enough make thick paste and cook until thoroughly heated put in two cotton bags large enough to cover lungs. Apply to chest hot as patient can bare if severe case apply to back. Also change poultice every fifteen minutes until patient relieved. Alice home all well. C. B. Lockhart |
| MARRIED HALF CENTURY
He was retired by the railroad company 10 years ago. Mr. And Mrs. Hartt were married
in Derby, New Brunswick, on May 20, 1885.
From the files of Glen
Kittelman |
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Additional Information regarding the above Gravesite submitted by: Reginald Kimball Hartland, N.B. ObserverNovember 30, 1983
LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: There exists in this county of Carleton, a county known for its care and reverence to its cemeteries, an old and forgotten cemetery. This is one cemetery that is different, and unique in the difference. First, it is old, so old as to be a pioneer in its entirety, since there has been no burial there in nearly a hundred years, and the cemetery itself may go back 150 years or more. It is strictly a cemetery of the past, unlike other cemeteries which have both old and recent burials. Secondly, there is another aspect of this particular cemetery which makes it different and distinct from all others. To the few who have ever seen it, it is a scene of utter and complete neglect. And no wonder, for only once in nearly a hundred years has any attempt been made to improve and maintain it, and that only partially so. It is therefore now a dismal sight, with gravestones fallen over, broken or leaning like the leaning Tower of Pisa and some graves sunken into the earth. One would naturally suppose that a cemetery such as this would be located in the back country in an old forsaken settlement, right? Wrong! It is situated right on the Trans-Canada Highway between Hartland and Woodstock in the community of Waterville, a prosperous part of the country which some of these pioneers buried here carved out of the virgin woods, cleared the land and built their homes, and helped to make this area what it is today. They deserve a better resting place than they have. The cemetery was in bad enough condition before the Highway was put through, but the building of this road completed the devastation of this ancient graveyard. The driveway of the previously adjoining church, and the cemetery were on a knoll in front of the original highway. The Government moved the church off the knoll and placed it further back on a basement foundation. Then the Highway was cut through the place where the church and driveway had been, including the front of the cemetery itself, leaving a deep ditch of raw earth between the cemetery and the roadway with no access or right-of-way, not even a foot path. The remaining cemetery ground is overgrown with bushes, briars and wild roses, all with sharp spines, discouraging anyone from trying to reach it. The church that stood in front of it was originally a Free Christian Baptist Church, built sometime after New Brunswick became a province. When this denomination merged with another Baptist group in 1905, the church began to decline, and subsequently became used as a granary. It was later bought back and used again for religious services now and then until the Highway was put through. In the centre of the cemetery lies the grave of Rev. Samuel Hartt, a prominent Baptist preacher of the past century, who was a church builder and evidently had built a number of Baptist churches, including this one. Only this month the Baptist church in Lincoln, below Fredericton, observed the 150th anniversary of its existence, where it was stated that Rev. Samuel Hartt had dedicated the church in 1833. To think that this man of God, along with some dedicated laymen, who contributed so much of their means to the cause of God in their day, lies forgotten, and whose memory has perished, is a sad reflection on the many who are responsible for this deplorable condition. Among those who should be concerned, besides the hundreds of descendants with names such as Hartt, Kenny (Kinney), Shaw, Kimball, etc., most of whom are ignorant of the fact that they have ancestors lying there, are the Government who built the road and who in doing so defaced and mutilated this ancient landmark; the Baptist Convention, since it was and still is a Baptist cemetery, and nearly all who now lie there were members of that church; the Faith Tabernacle, which has the present church located only a few feet away; and others who should have an interest in the history and restoration of this cemetery, especially the local community in which it is located. Since next year marks the 200th year of the Province, it is entirely fitting and appropriate that this become a project for that occasion, with a grant from the Government and full support from those who should have an interest in it. It is hoped that this may be. Thank you Mr. Editor for your cooperation.
Rev. Hollis M. Kimball |
| DINNER ANNOUNCED
(Submitted by Judy Madsen) Note from Judy: "Thought that this one was just interesting. What was news then, and what is news now. Society played such a big part in people’s lives then. I guess it does now, but in a different way."
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