After the celebrations in 1994, 2004 and 2014, and the restoration of Little Canada in 2015, there was perhaps a sense that the celebration of the 75th Anniversary in 2019 would be something special.
The Firestone, Deeth and Grandy families had been in touch for a few years already, but set out to find families of the other crew members. The Biddles were located in Oshawa, a city east of Toronto where they had been living for many years. Clay Pashka, a great-nephew of Ken Graham, had actually been to Norway independently in 2015, and had written a newspaper article about his trip. Clay was unable to provide any information about Ken Graham's immediate family, but was enthusiastic about his second trip to Norway.
Unfortunately, even though Maurice Neil and Harvey Firestone had remained friends after the war, Maurice had died years earlier and no trace was found of the Neil family. We continue to look for them, so that they, too, can help to preserve this piece of history.
The Firestone, Deeth and Grandy families had been in touch for a few years already, but set out to find families of the other crew members. The Biddles were located in Oshawa, a city east of Toronto where they had been living for many years. Clay Pashka, a great-nephew of Ken Graham, had actually been to Norway independently in 2015, and had written a newspaper article about his trip. Clay was unable to provide any information about Ken Graham's immediate family, but was enthusiastic about his second trip to Norway.
Unfortunately, even though Maurice Neil and Harvey Firestone had remained friends after the war, Maurice had died years earlier and no trace was found of the Neil family. We continue to look for them, so that they, too, can help to preserve this piece of history.
At previous celebrations there had been a Canadian military presence, most commonly in the form of a military attache from the Canadian Embassy in Oslo, but Rick Firestone wanted something more. Rick's home in Victoria on Vancouver Island was not far from the current base of 407 Squadron in Comox, British Columbia, and Rick was a former RCAF officer himself. Rick made contact with the current C/O of 407, Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Castonguay, who soon became enthusiastic about this new mission and undertook the steps to get the necessary approvals for his attendance and that of his Squadron Chief, Chief Warrant Officer Serge Harvey.
Colonel Jeff Drummond, the military attache to the Canadian embassy in Oslo, made plans to attend to represent the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Right Honourable Lawrence MacAuley and to pass his greetings to the participants.
Rick Firestone worked hard to organize the participation of 407 Squadron, the greetings from the Minister and the attendance of as many members of the crew's families as possible.
Colonel Jeff Drummond, the military attache to the Canadian embassy in Oslo, made plans to attend to represent the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Right Honourable Lawrence MacAuley and to pass his greetings to the participants.
Rick Firestone worked hard to organize the participation of 407 Squadron, the greetings from the Minister and the attendance of as many members of the crew's families as possible.
In Norway, similar steps were underway to make this celebration more complete and perhaps more meaningful than past remembrances. A walk from the crash site to the sea, following the route of the crew as closely as possible, was planned, as well as a boat trip to visit some of the sites where the crew was sheltered during its time in Norway. Participation by the Norwegian military was arranged, and a dinner for the families of the helpers, and their Canadian guests, was organized for the Saturday night.
Families of all but one of the helpers were located, and invited to the ceremonies on Saturday night where the debt owed to the helpers by the families of the crew members was once again acknowledged.
Families of all but one of the helpers were located, and invited to the ceremonies on Saturday night where the debt owed to the helpers by the families of the crew members was once again acknowledged.