Well this is where the second opinion comes in, actually Pastor Tony's opinion. He looked carefully at the photo and used the background to identify where it was taken. There is an island directly off Luganville that has some physical relief to it - called Aore Island. Pastor Tony said if you line up the coconut trees to correspond to that relief, you will find where Ed was standing. Yes it turned out to be the same coconut grove on the beach behind the local market, where my World War II tour guide said it was.
This was the spot on March 12, 1945 that Ed Gardiner was standing. Eight years later - to the day his first daughter would be born, Kathleen May Gardiner/Barrs.
Edmund Thomas Gardiner was born on November 6th, 1919. Were he alive today, he would be turning 97 this month. He served his country with distinction in World War II, and with his wife Irene, raised a family of three children Robert, Dennis & Kathleen.
Anyone who serves in a War for there country, is to be completely respected. Finding that beach on the island of Espiritu Santo allowed me to show him that respect, not only as a World War II Veteran but also as a man I knew personally. How appropriate it was that I actually found his beach on November 11th - Remembrance Day for all Veterans.
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