AN article in the Times sparked an emotional reunion for a former American GI and the couple he lost contact with almost 50 years ago. Conley McMullen, an assistant chaplain with the American 29th Division, was stationed at Abbotsfield in Tavistock during world war two, and met Grace and Leslie Lang through the Wesleyan Church. They became close friends and Grace and Leslie fully expected Conley to be at their wedding in Tavistock in July 1944. But war intervened ? Conley was sent to France, and landed on Omaha Beach during the D-Day operations. Although Grace and Leslie eventually managed to contact Conley, after the war both families moved to different areas of their respective countries and they lost contact in about 1950. Conley?s return to Tavistock in 1998 was featured in the Times, when he appealed for news of his old friends ? and finally, contact was made at last. Grace, 84, who now lives with Leslie, 86, in Basildon, Essex, said: ?We did make tremendous efforts to try and contact Conley, especially when the 50th anniversary commemorations took place ? but it was the Times that eventually brought us together.? A friend from Tavistock, Rosemary Estall, saw the article and contacted the couple. They eventually met in 1999 ? for the first time since 1944, but this was the first time in 60 years that they had all been back in Tavistock together. Grace and Leslie celebrated their diamond wedding last year. Both keen former members of the Tavonians, they said their visit to Tavistock with Conley and his wife, Helen and daughter Cynthia had been ?wonderful?. Grace said: ?It?s brought back a tremendous amount of memories ? and all happy ones, despite the terrible bombings going on in Plymouth at the time. I remember the feeling of security we had when they were there ? we were pretty shaky in those days, with rationing and restrictions. ?We didn?t have an awful lot of food, but they would never visit empty-handed, they?d bring tins of fruit or meat ? that was the first time we were introduced to spam!? Conley preached at several of the churches in the area, including Peter Tavy and Brentor ? Leslie often played the organ at church. Conley, who is now 88, said: ?We just clicked from the word ?go? ? great really, considering I was a ?damn Yankee?!? Conley, who,lives in Virginia, said he and Helen, 76, had enjoyed a fantastic trip to Devon, including a walk up to Brentor Church with Grace and Leslie. The holiday had evoked many emotions,? he said. ?It?s been kind of a ghostly feeling ? it?s brought back a lot of memories. They say you can?t go back ? but we have done!? Helen, 76, said it was wonderful to finally meet Grace and Leslie, having heard so much of them from Conley over the years.
