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.