[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 52 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY MADGWICK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JEB HENSARLING

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2012

  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take a moment to 
honor the life of Mr. Henry Madgwick of Terrell, Texas. Henry, known to 
those closest to him as Harry, passed away on March 10, 2012.
  Harry was born on May 16, 1923 in Hampshire, England to William Henry 
and Emma Mary Madgwick. At 16 years of age, Harry volunteered for Home 
Guard, which was a defense organization in the United Kingdom during 
World War II. Soon after joining the Home Guard, Harry was drafted into 
the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a cadet and at 17 years of age was made a 
squad leader in the Air Training Corps (ATC).
  The Lend-Lease Act was signed into law by President Franklin D. 
Roosevelt on March 11, 1941. The President described the Lend-Lease Act 
as ``helping to put out the fire in your neighbor's house before your 
own house caught fire and burned down.'' During World War II, thousands 
of British pilots learned to fly at six civilian training schools in 
the United States. The first and largest of the schools, known as the 
No. 1 British Flying Training School (BFTS), was in Terrell, Texas, 
located in Kaufman County. After the United States entered the war, 
American Aviation Cadets also trained at the school. More than 2,000 
Royal Air Force and American Army Air Force pilots earned their wings 
in the skies over North Texas between 1941 and 1945 to help our nation 
achieve victory--including Harry, who arrived in 1944.
  Harry met his soon-to-be wife, Kate Weatherford, in Terrell while 
training. Once the war ended and Harry was discharged from the 
military, he returned to Terrell and lived there for the rest of his 
life. Kate and Harry were married for 47 years until her passing in 
1993. In 1995, he remarried to Kate Marriot Sanders, a widow of another 
RAF pilot who was trained at the No. 1 BFTS in Terrell. She passed away 
in 2001.
  Harry was a fixture in Terrell, having served as Mayor, Chairman of 
the Baseball Committee, Director of Terrell Youth Council, the Terrell 
Park Board, and countless other boards and committees in the community. 
In 1974, he was named the Terrell Rotary Club Citizen of the Year. Most 
notably, though, Harry could always be found working as the President 
of the BFTS Museum. The BFTS Museum, located at the site of the No. 1 
BFTS, was dear to Harry's heart. He had a wealth of knowledge and 
passion for the BFTS and has left a historic legacy for not only the 
city of Terrell, but for two grateful nations.
  On behalf of the citizens of Terrell and the Fifth District of Texas, 
I am honored to recognize the life of Mr. Henry Madgwick and recognize 
the lasting impact he had on the Terrell community and this country.

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