Holberg, BC

The following detail has been extracted from the Historical Reports for RCAF Station Holberg, BC:

A prolonged period of extremely heavy rainfall during 29 and 30 Sep resulted in very extensive property damage and caused the death by drowning of an airman on strength of Station Holberg.

A major land slide and several small slides occurred on the road between the Operations Site and the Domestic Site on 30 Sep. The road sustained only slight damage but guard rails were extensively damaged. Access to the Operations Site was completely cut off. Vehicular traffic resumed on a restricted basis approximately 10 hours after the slides occurred. A restoration program was necessary to repair eroded road shoulders and surfaces on the six miles of road.

Damage of a more serious nature was caused by the rampaging Goodspeed River. The river flows parallel to the road between the Domestic Site and Holberg Dock. This road is the only thoroughfare between these points. The large volume of water changed the course of the river bed and completely washed away the road for a distance of approximately 300 feet. A shuttle service was set up between the Domestic Site and the washout with a similar arrangement between the washout and Holberg Dock. Passengers and freight were transported over the washed out portion of the road in a boatswain chair. Temporary road repairs began as soon as the flood waters receded to a level at which men and machines could work in safety. The job of reconstructing the damaged road bed required almost a month to complete. A bridge on the road to the dock was also heavily damaged and a construction crew from 2 CMU Calgary is expected to commence shoring the bridge and replacing damaged piles early in the new year.

Having read this information, I was somewhat surprised that there was no detail pertaining to the Airman that lost his life. I took the liberty of sending an email message to 22 individuals who were serving at Holberg in 1962, and I was able to gather the following information:

He had married a local girl (Lonnie) who used to work in the Mess Hall from time to time. Being a married man, he lived in private civilian accommodation which was off the base, and close to the Goodspeed River in the area where he disappeared during the washout.

His wife later married a local Holberg resident by the name of Bobby Fields who was known to be a very good fast ball pitcher. It is assumed that the Fields moved after the station closed as he was a civilian employee.

Comments from Eric Sproule: "Ron was a very nice guy and we were all very saddened when we heard he lost his footing when standing too close to the edge of the road where his weight caused the overhang to give away. The water had washed out the bank from under the road and he didn’t realize it until it was too late".

Comments from Jim D Anderson: "He was called "OB" by his friends. He lived with his wife in a small house on the river. They must have "roughed it" because they did not have any power. He apparently went out to check the river, and fell in. He was buried in the military section of the cemetery in Burnaby. Blair Druett attended his funeral".

Comments from Jim Anderson: I was there when this happened. The last name of the FtrCop who drowned was O’Bonsawin. Everyone just knew him as "OB." He was about to have supper that evening. He lived in a shack (not PMQ's or the apartments). He had no running water or electricity. He lit a Coleman lantern and told his wife he'd be right back. He wanted to check the water level of the river. He lived in this cabin not far from the bank of the "Goodspeed." According to his wife, OB proceeded to the edge of the roaring river. Apparently, the river had washed out and undercut the bank. OB got too close and it gave way washing him downstream. This was not the first time OB had trouble in the water around Holberg. Years earlier, OB was coming into Holberg from Tofino. He was on a PBY (Canso) out of Sea Island to Comox. They landed in Comox. Everyone disembarked and went to the snack bar for coffee. OB thew his raincoat on his seat before leaving the plane. When he got back on, someone (I don't know who?) had gotten on in Comox, and took OB's seat. I remember OB telling this story quite a few times. OB told the fellow to get out of his seat. The other fellow simply refused saying that OB didn't have his name on it. OB had to sit in the port bubble. The plane took off and landed in Holberg inlet. Just as it touched down, it hit a dead-head. The plane immediately started to take on water and was sinking. One of the crewman ordered everyone to strip off their outer clothing and boots. Some emptied their flight bags and used them as floatation devises. A crewman opened the bubbles and OB got out with 8 others. The PBY sank to it's wings. OB and the others got on top of the wings. A tug boat that was used to haul log booms, came right over within minutes. There were still people in the plane. One of the crew from the tug wanted to dive in and rescue the ones still in the Canso, but the Pilot wouldn't allow anyone in for fear of losing him also. Apparently, a nursing sister, navigator and the person sitting in what was OB's seat all drowned.

Comments from Lonnie Field: These are some of the things I remember about Ron's accident. It was 30 September 1962. We had just returned from Vancouver. I had just had our second child, Leilani. Ron had worked a midnight shift up the hill. There was a storm raging. He was concerned about the copper miners that lived on the mountain behind our house. He took three dogs and went over the second Bailey Bridge to warn them not to come down for fear that the bridge may collapse. I was sure that there was something wrong when 3:30 in the afternoon came and went - besides, the dogs had already returned home without him. The Air Force was very good to me and the kids. I didn't want to leave until they found him but they convinced me that it was best to go back to my parents in Vancouver. They recovered his body at the first Bailey Bridge on October 4th. Ron was only 24 - so young.