A Family Reunited

Jaap's Story

In 1968, as young lad of 22 years, Jaap wanted to get married to Wil in Holland. To do this he needed his legal father's permission. So off he went to find this man only to be told "You are not my son but the son of a Canadian Liberator". Jaap then asked his Mother, who denied that he was a child of a Canadian Liberator. That this man was his legal father, she divorced him a month before Jaap was born.
After many years Jaap's uncle again told him he was the son of a Canadian Liberator, but out of respect for his mother, Jaap left his quest of finding his real father till after she died in 1988.
He had pictures and a name Ernest Turnbull, who he understood was in the Canadian Army and had been stationed in Holland. Jaap started his quest to find his birth father, and asked the Liberation Children's Organization for help. He had many pictures of Ernie wearing a tam.
Jaap found a photograph of an Ernest Turnbull on the web site of Roots Web for Lincolnshire, but although it looked the same man, the hat was different. Jaap felt that this was the same man as his youngest son looks so much like Ernest in this photograph. Jaap tried contacting Roots Web again and a gentleman from the group got a hold Ernest Turnbull's wife.

Ernest Turnbull's Wife, Mary's story

In the meantime Mary, Ernie Turbull's wife (whom he married as a bachelor of 58 years in 1983) had been asked by George Smith if she would like to put her husband's name and picture on his web site under 'Tribute to W.W.II Veterans', with a little background about where he served etc. Mary did put Ernie's story on his web site with a picture of him in his uniform of the 1st Canadian Scottish Regiment. An added note said that Mary's grandchildren always called Ernie "E.T." and he would put his finger up to them every time they met.
So the picture that Mary had put on the web site was different from the one that Jaap had in that the hat he wore in the photograph was different.
Mary was contacted by Liberation Children's Organization, and after exchanging many emails it was found that both Mary and Jaap had many identical pictures in albums. The Children's Liberation Organisation asked if Mary would phone them, and confirmed that Jaap was right - this was his father, Ernest Turnbull.
Ernie had passed away in 1995 never meeting his son. Jaap and his wife, Wil visited Canada to see Mary and her family. Mary relates, "Jaap is a tribute to his mother, and his wife Wil came with open hearts. There was an instant bond. We were all so excited, Jaap wanted to know what his father's life was like. He met Ernie's brother and sister and their families, Ernie's wife Mary, his step children and their husbands and grandchildren and their partners, best friends (a second family to his Father's), fellow workers from BC Sugar Co. and their wives where Ernie worked for 42 years".
The family had made a movie for Ernie about 32 years fishing at Fawn Lake 1961- 1993, and Ernie had made a tape of his mother and Ernie talking in 1973. Ernie was not just a name or a picture for Jaap now, he was a loving, giving man who treasured family and friends. Jaap now had this to share with his family in Holland.
Jaap went home with all the stories of his father also the DVD of Fawn Lake Memories which he could play for his family.
After it was over Jaap clicked back from DVD to the TV and up came the ET movie on the screen, Jaap says it was ET calling home I believe it was too.
When Jaap was born at home in Holland in 1946 his grandmother registered his birth, his mother wanted to call him after his father Ernest, his grandmother made a spelling mistake and registered it as Ernst, so he always had a missing "E" in his life till now. Jaap has found his missing "E" and I have received the most precious gift, a part of Ernie living in Jaap, his sons, & grandchildren. He is a credit to his Mother who raised a fine son, who married a very loving wife Wil. They have a very caring family and I appreciate all their letters.
Thanks to George on our Lincolnshire list who ask if I would like to have my husband's picture on his site. Thanks also to Lou and all the listers for the list, Thank you Rootsweb if I had not been on your Lincolnshire list we still would not have connected. Words cannot express the joy this has brought our families.
Mary TURNBULL Surrey, BC, Canada.

Hello George,
Just wanted to say a special "thank you" to you for uniting our families across the sea, my husband Ernest TURNBULL whom you have on your site was found by a Dutch lady and passed to her brother in law Jaap. Jaap is my husband's son, we did not know about him and he was in search for a very long time for his Father Ernest.
From your web site the Liberation Children's Org. had also data on Ernie so they got hold of me. Jaap came to Canada last week with his wife Wil to meet us. What a wonderful gift I now have part of my husband still living, Jaap has two sons and three grandchildren so the circle of life expands. I cannot tell you how it made him feel to now have the stories, pictures, movie and tape of his living father. He is very happy. We tried to get people together for him from his work, friends and family. I just wanted you to know George, through your generosity a family is united we are all truly blessed. Some day in the future I will be going to go to Holland and Wil, Jaap and I are going to go to the Juno Peace Centre together, where Ernie's remembrance brick is as he landed there on D Day. So to your friend who took the pictures for me of Ernie's brick, will you send this on to him and tell him our wonderful news. Thanks again, for a truly wonderful gift,
Mary
(The friend who took the photograph of Ernest Turnbull's named brick was the LRFHS chairman Peter Cousins during the 2004 FH trip to the landing beaches of WWII.)

ERNIE'S BRICK ERNIES'S PILLAR