Martin Hartwell
Encyclopedia
Martin Hartwell was a Canadian bush pilot. On November 8, 1972 Hartwell was given a charter to fly from Cambridge Bay, N.W.T.
with three passengers who had just arrived from Spence Bay; a pregnant Inuk woman named Neemee Nulliayok, a 14 year old Inuk boy named David Pisurayak Kootook (who was suffering from appendicitis
), and an attending government nurse named Judy Hill. Hartwell was not flying a normal scheduled route, but happened to be in Cambridge Bay after dropping off prospectors on the Barrens. His aircraft, a Gateway Aviation Beechcraft 18
, was chartered by the nurse and doctor in Cambridge Bay to fly on to Yellowknife
where his passengers could receive medical care at the local hospital.
interview with the pilot's father-in-law, David Haley. Hartwell was found alive after 31 days. Hartwell gave a lengthy interview to the Observer after his rescue, but did not cooperate in any attempt to portray the story in film or on television.
Val Wake was a CBC News reporter based in Yellowknife when the story of the lost medical evacuation became world news. He flew with 440 Squadron Namao when SAR Hartwell was in operation flying low over the barrenlands looking for any trace of the downed Beechcraft 18. Wake spent nearly six hours strapped to the open ramp of a searching Hercules. SAR Hartwell failed to find any trace of the Hartwell plane. After a week of searching in failing light and falling temperatures the operation was called off, but political pressure from Ottawa resumed the search. One of the prime movers of this pressure was Susan Haley of the University of Alberta, Calgary and her father, Dr Haley of Acadia University, Nova Scotia. During the early stages of the search Susan Haley came to Yellowknife and camped in Wake's office demanding that the search be resumed. The search resumed in difficult conditions. There was less than six hours of daylight and temperatures were 10 to 20 below zero out on the barrenlands. The resumed search did not find the lost plane. The plane was found after a commercial jet plane picked up an emergency signal from Martin Hartwell's emergency radio beacon
. It is a routine procedure for commercial aircraft to monitor the emergency channels.
At the time the people of Yellowknife had their doubts about Martin Hartwell. He was not checked out for instrument flying and his plane had crashed into the only bit of high ground in the flight path from Cambridge Bay to Yellowknife. When the RCMP inspected Hartwell's camp they found small plastic bags containing parts of Judy Hill. Hartwell greeted his rescuers by saying: " Welcome to the camp of a cannibal."
Although Hartwell refused to attend the Yellowknife inquest into the loss of the plane and its passengers a lot of evidence about Hartwell was presented to the Yellowknife inquest. Hartwell was a German, trained by the Luftwaffe. At the crash scene he left a note for his son Peer. The note was translated by Gerry Reimann of Yellowknife and was read into the inquest record. The note said:
The inquest was told that Judy Hill and Neemee Nulliayok died when the plane ran into the hill. David Kootook survived living off tree bark. He refused to eat any of Judy Hill's flesh. He died about a week before Hartwell was rescued. Two paramedics were parachuted into the crash scene. They found Hartwell physically OK but his mental condition was poor. Hartwell was first taken to Stanton Yellowknife where he was said to be in excellent physical condition.
. Tom Connors' song was a deep embarrassment for many Yellowknifers who felt that the less said about the accident the better. They also felt that the south was criticising the north for not doing enough to rescue the missing nurse and her patients.
The 2003 motion picture The Snow Walker
is loosely based on the story of Hartwell's survival. In 1998 David Pisuriak Kootook, the Inuk boy from Taloyoak who saved the downed pilot, was honoured by the Northern Transportation Company
by having a ship named after him.
The Spence Bay nurse, Judy Hill, was born at Kingsbridge, England
. Judy Hill's mother was a matron at a local hospital. In 1977 a BBC reporter, Jim McDougall, published a book titled Angel of the Snow ( Frederick Muller, ISBN 0-584-10317) about Judy Hill. McDougall visited the Northwest Territories as part of his research. According to McDougall a Judy Hill Memorial Fund was organised and contributions was made from around the world. The money is used to help in the training of nurses.
McDougall says that Neemee and David were buried in a private plot in Edmonton. Judy Hill's body was taken to Banff where she was cremated and her ashes were scattered by Judy's boyfriend Chris at a quiet place on the Bow River.
Val Wake was so moved by these events that many years later when visiting Devon he wrote a poem titled Snow Angel.
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
with three passengers who had just arrived from Spence Bay; a pregnant Inuk woman named Neemee Nulliayok, a 14 year old Inuk boy named David Pisurayak Kootook (who was suffering from appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
), and an attending government nurse named Judy Hill. Hartwell was not flying a normal scheduled route, but happened to be in Cambridge Bay after dropping off prospectors on the Barrens. His aircraft, a Gateway Aviation Beechcraft 18
Beechcraft Model 18
The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
, was chartered by the nurse and doctor in Cambridge Bay to fly on to Yellowknife
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
where his passengers could receive medical care at the local hospital.
Crash
Some time after taking off from Cambridge Bay in bad weather and low cloud, the plane crashed into a hillside near Hottah Lake 65.0669102°N 118.5016058°W. The nurse, Judy Hill was killed on impact. The Inuit woman died during the subsequent night. Hartwell and the young boy survived the crash, although both of Hartwell's legs were broken. For weeks the two survived the brutally harsh weather where the average temperature was minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit (minus;37 degrees Celsius.) David was instrumental in the pair's survival by erecting a tent and making fires. He died after the 20th day whereupon the pilot survived by eating part of the leg of the nurse.Search
The initial search lasted one week, but then was reopened by the Minister of Defense in the course of a dramatic CBC As It HappensAs It Happens
As It Happens is a long-running interview show on CBC Radio One in Canada. Its 40th anniversary was celebrated on-air on 18 November 2008. It has been one of the most popular and acclaimed shows on CBC Radio; it is also distributed in the United States by Public Radio International.The bulk of the...
interview with the pilot's father-in-law, David Haley. Hartwell was found alive after 31 days. Hartwell gave a lengthy interview to the Observer after his rescue, but did not cooperate in any attempt to portray the story in film or on television.
Val Wake was a CBC News reporter based in Yellowknife when the story of the lost medical evacuation became world news. He flew with 440 Squadron Namao when SAR Hartwell was in operation flying low over the barrenlands looking for any trace of the downed Beechcraft 18. Wake spent nearly six hours strapped to the open ramp of a searching Hercules. SAR Hartwell failed to find any trace of the Hartwell plane. After a week of searching in failing light and falling temperatures the operation was called off, but political pressure from Ottawa resumed the search. One of the prime movers of this pressure was Susan Haley of the University of Alberta, Calgary and her father, Dr Haley of Acadia University, Nova Scotia. During the early stages of the search Susan Haley came to Yellowknife and camped in Wake's office demanding that the search be resumed. The search resumed in difficult conditions. There was less than six hours of daylight and temperatures were 10 to 20 below zero out on the barrenlands. The resumed search did not find the lost plane. The plane was found after a commercial jet plane picked up an emergency signal from Martin Hartwell's emergency radio beacon
ELT
- Science and technology :* Emergency Locator Transmitter, a type of distress beacon used in aircraft* Extremely Large Telescope, a type of telescope...
. It is a routine procedure for commercial aircraft to monitor the emergency channels.
Inquiry
The international interest in the loss of the plane was demonstrated by the sudden arrival in Yellowknife of the international press corps, including a reporter from the London Daily Mirror. The Daily Mirror man started offering money around town to any one who would give him information about Martin Hartwell. He was not very successful. Wake filed stories with the broadcasting services in Britain, Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and Australia.At the time the people of Yellowknife had their doubts about Martin Hartwell. He was not checked out for instrument flying and his plane had crashed into the only bit of high ground in the flight path from Cambridge Bay to Yellowknife. When the RCMP inspected Hartwell's camp they found small plastic bags containing parts of Judy Hill. Hartwell greeted his rescuers by saying: " Welcome to the camp of a cannibal."
Although Hartwell refused to attend the Yellowknife inquest into the loss of the plane and its passengers a lot of evidence about Hartwell was presented to the Yellowknife inquest. Hartwell was a German, trained by the Luftwaffe. At the crash scene he left a note for his son Peer. The note was translated by Gerry Reimann of Yellowknife and was read into the inquest record. The note said:
When you receive this letter, I will be dead. I have had an accident on Nov. 8/72 and I am still laying in the bush with broken legs. Have no more food. Please forgive me for sins. I love you, my only son. Please contact Miss Susan Haley c/o Deptment of Philosophy, U of A, Edmonton, Alberta. She was, for the past year and a half, a close companion. An even better address may be: Miss Susan Haley c/o Dr Haley, University of Wolfville, N.S., Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. There are savings in the Imperial Bank of Commerce here in Yellowknife and Edmonton. You should have $3,000 and Susan the rest that she may pay my debts and the unpaid ones with court. I am wishing you all the best and remember me. In my heart I was not all that bad.
The inquest was told that Judy Hill and Neemee Nulliayok died when the plane ran into the hill. David Kootook survived living off tree bark. He refused to eat any of Judy Hill's flesh. He died about a week before Hartwell was rescued. Two paramedics were parachuted into the crash scene. They found Hartwell physically OK but his mental condition was poor. Hartwell was first taken to Stanton Yellowknife where he was said to be in excellent physical condition.
Legacy
The story of Hartwell's survival, with emphasis on the role played by Kootook, are related in "The Martin Hartwell Story" by Canadian balladeer Stompin' Tom ConnorsStompin' Tom Connors
Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors, OC is one of Canada's most prolific and well-known country and folk singers.He lives in Wellington County, Ontario.- Early life :...
. Tom Connors' song was a deep embarrassment for many Yellowknifers who felt that the less said about the accident the better. They also felt that the south was criticising the north for not doing enough to rescue the missing nurse and her patients.
The 2003 motion picture The Snow Walker
The Snow Walker
The Snow Walker is a 2003 Canadian film based on the short story "Walk Well, My Brother" by Farley Mowat. It was written and directed by Charles Martin Smith and starred Barry Pepper, James Cromwell, and Annabella Piugattuk....
is loosely based on the story of Hartwell's survival. In 1998 David Pisuriak Kootook, the Inuk boy from Taloyoak who saved the downed pilot, was honoured by the Northern Transportation Company
Northern Transportation Company Limited
Northern Transportation Company Limited is a marine transportation company in the Canadian and American Arctic owned by Norterra, a holding company jointly owned by the Inuvialuit of the Northwest Territories and the Inuit of Nunavut...
by having a ship named after him.
The Spence Bay nurse, Judy Hill, was born at Kingsbridge, England
Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary, which is a textbook example of a ria and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.-History:The...
. Judy Hill's mother was a matron at a local hospital. In 1977 a BBC reporter, Jim McDougall, published a book titled Angel of the Snow ( Frederick Muller, ISBN 0-584-10317) about Judy Hill. McDougall visited the Northwest Territories as part of his research. According to McDougall a Judy Hill Memorial Fund was organised and contributions was made from around the world. The money is used to help in the training of nurses.
McDougall says that Neemee and David were buried in a private plot in Edmonton. Judy Hill's body was taken to Banff where she was cremated and her ashes were scattered by Judy's boyfriend Chris at a quiet place on the Bow River.
Val Wake was so moved by these events that many years later when visiting Devon he wrote a poem titled Snow Angel.
External links
- http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/nunavut981031/nvt81002_16.html
- http://cap.estevan.sk.ca/Sacrament/chapter7.html
- http://www.valwaketheauthor.com
- Peter Tadman, The survivor 1991