I would like to begin this blog by sharing the reason this trip was established. In 1942 my father was living with his family in Seattle,Washington. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force when he was 19 and was sent to Trenton, Ontario for pilot training. My mother, Anita O'Connor,was from a nearby town (Belleville, ON)and her brother, John O'Connor, introduced them and of course one of "those whirlwind wartime romances" and weddings took place. After a very brief "honeymoon period", my father was sent to England on assignment. My mother then moved to Seattle where she stayed until my father came home.  My father went to England and was stationed near Grantham, Lincolnshire.  He was on a training mission with his crew in April of 1943 when he lost engine control over the channel and turned back and crashed not far from Grantham, near a railway line. A Scotsman, Sergeant Alexander Barrie, witnessed the crash and ran to help. He pulled my father out of the burning plane to safety,went back to the plane thinking there were more crew members, which thankfully, there were not. Sergeant Barrie was awarded the British Empire Medal, but sadly never knew of this as he died himself 6 days later. His family was unaware of the reasons for the commendation (he was married with 2 young children). My Dad recuperated in England and Canada, had several orthopedic sugeries and burn treatments and was released in September 1943 and returned to Seattle. His life was forever changed by the injuries, as he had been a very active young man before the crash, football player, golfer, polo player and bull rider! Eventually my family settled in Montana (which had always been my dad's dream) but sadly he died there of a massive coronary at 42 years of age - I was the youngest of 5 children and was age 6. 

Fast forward to 2011 and my brother, who goes by the same name, was contaced by an RAF researcher in Edinburgh, inquiring as to whether he was related to "Flying Officer William Arthur Sprinkle". And hence, there were several communications, between my brother and I, the researcher and the family of Sergeant Barrie's family members. So, my brother and I planned this trip to travel and meet those family members and thank them in person for their father's heroism and also visit the crash site and the museums close by. We hope to also the meet the researcher in Edinburgh, a Mr. Neil Smith. 

What fascinating work he does as part of the RAF 51 history association. The research has had a bit of press - one article was in the "Daily News" in this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059977/Historian-discovers-remains-heroic-wartime-bomber-crew-68-years-crashed.html - since then there may be some doubt as to whether Sergeant Barrie was actually part of the crew that crashed in Poland, but they are still researching. Regardless, his heroism and bravery was outstanding and we wish to meet and thank his relatives in England (Portsmouth, south of London), and Scotland (outside of Edinburgh).