Choloy, France

Details:

8 June 1978 - Mr MA "Michael" Zaharia

Comments by Ren L'Ecuyer:

I noticed the mention (in 2 Wing Historical Reports) of a F/O MA Zaharia who was employed as the Education Officer. The possibility of there having been two different people with the same initials and surname is quite remote - so I am going to assume that the F/O MA Zaharia of 1953 is the same as the MA Zaharia who died and was buried at Choloy in 1978. On a personal note - I seem to recall a Mr. Zaharia functioning as principal of the High School in Metz in the mid sixties. Could it be that the RCAF Officer, who married a French National in 1953, took his release and spent the rest of his life working with the RCAF? Your comments pertaining to this situation would be appreciated.

Comments by Frederick Willson:

I was on loan to the DND schools in France and Germany as the Inspector of elementary schools from September 1965 to June 1967. Mike Zaharia's office was next to mine on the station at the Chateau de Mercy at Metz. Mike was the Inspector of Secondary Schools. He certainly was the Education Officer that you mentioned at 2 Wing. The story I got was that when our men first went to Europe as part of NATO there was no provision for schooling their children so Mike helped to organize schools. When DND took over he resigned and was hired by DND. He lived in Nancy and he and his wife, who had a practise in Nancy, had two daughters. My wife and I visited them at their home. In September 1967, Mike was transferred to Lahr and I returned to Etobicoke. I learned that he had died but I did not know where he was buried. Mike and I worked on the Committee of Yanks, Brits, and Dutch who planned the International School at Brunssum in Holland where AFCENT moved. I have never seen the school since it was completed. Perhaps some day I shall get back.

Extracts from 2 Wing Historical Reports:

31 Jul 53

First officer on strength this unit to be married to French National was F/O MA Zaharia. F/O Zaharia is being married to Mlle Vera Zasuliko, Doctor of Medicine in Nancy. A very appropriate presentation in the form of a coffee service was presented to F/O and Mrs. Zaharia by the Commanding Officer and officers of the unit.

6 Oct 53

F/O Zaharia, Education Officer this Wing, returned from UK where he purchased books for the Station Library.

9 Oct 53

Mrs. M Gye, a representative of Linguaphone Institute, London, visited the unit and conferred with the Unit Education Officer, F/O Zaharia. An active language programme is being prepared for the winter months.

27 Oct 53

S/L J Neff, TCHQ/SOTS and F/L J Freeman reported in from Air Division HQ and conferred with the CO and Wing Education Officer, F/O MA Zaharia.

24 Nov 54

Visitors from 1 Air Division HQ were G/C ME Pollard, S/L W Gill, F/L Greensward and F/O M Zaharia. They conferred with their opposite numbers on Service matters.