A World War Two pilot’s coin lost in Wales during a fatal crash has been reunited with his family 3,000 miles and 80 years later.
Royal Canadian Airforce pilot Ivan Trafford was killed when his Spitfire crashed during training over Caerphilly Mountain on November 7, 1941. A Canadian quarter, possibly his lucky charm, was found buried in the soil and has now been returned to the airman’s family thanks to a Cardiff film-maker.
Ivan had travelled to Wales aged 20 to help in the effort to defeat Hitler but never saw his home again. His grieving family had few reminders of the young airman who was training at RAF Llandow and buried in Llantwit Major cemetery.
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When film-maker Chris Lloyd made a film about the crash recently and put it online it was seen by a local historian. Ian Hodgkiss knew a Canadian coin had been found near the crash site in the 1980s.
Ian tracked down metal detectorist Huw Trivett who had found the Canadian quarter, dated 1939, on the mountain in the 1980s.
With the help of Chris they got in touch with Ivan’s nephew David Trafford in Canada and Huw posted the coin to him earlier this year.
Chris said he never imagined the story would come full circle back to Canada thanks to his film.
“This coin is a little bit of home the pilot took with him. We have all done that. Taken a reminder of home away with us. It’s such a human story and such a tragedy. The coin was probably in Ivan’s pocket when he crashed.
“It all started when I saw the propeller memorial on the mountain and decided to make a film and put it online. That was seen by someone who knew a coin had been found there in the 1980s.
“I got in touch with Ivan’s nephew David in Canada and the coin was sent back to him.
“The family were so thankful because they don’t have any physical effects of Ivan’s. Social media and the internet get demonised but it does have potential to connect people like it has here.”
Speaking to Canada’s CBC Ivan’s nephew David Trafford, from New Brunswick, said: “When the coin came and I held it in my hand it was an emotional thing that came over me. It’s inexplicable really. It really is.
“Perhaps he carried that coin with him as a little reminder of Canada, you know, and that it was with him that day.”
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