The fate of the crew of LK-917 was uncertain - they might have landed behind enemy lines, - they might have bailed out and been captured, - they might have crashed and survived, or crashed and been killed. During the long months following, and until word was received via the Red Cross, their families grasped for any information that could shed light on their fate. With letters, they shared their anxiety.

Even when news finally came, it reported 6 of the 8 crew members killed, only identifying one body, and raising hope that 2 had survived - each family hoped their boy was still alive. Only months later were they to learn the whole story.

The following documents will take you through that long and difficult time:

October 2, 1943	A personal letter to EG from Charles Power - Minister of National Defence re: condolence for Harry's 'Missing' status
October 8, 1943	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF re: confirmation of the telegram and providing crew details Page 1 page 2
October 16, 1943	Letter to EG from Charles Power re: EG's request for details of the mssing crew.
October 18, 1943	Letter to EG & Hilda from Air Marshall H. Edwards re: condolence concerning the missing crew
October 21, 1943	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF Casualty Officer re: other members of the crew and their families
October 30, 1943	Letter to EG & Hilda from Hansell Srs. in Norwich, England sharing the initial anxiety concerning Harry
	Rachel Hansell at home in Norwich
December 4, 1943	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF Sqr Leader & Casualties Officer re: confirmation that Sergeant Leach - Air Gunner was identified as killed
December 16, 1943	Letter to EG from Hansell Srs. in Nowich, England telling of Harry's time with them.
	Harry's last photo - with his Grandmother - taken September 6th, 1943 on his final leave
December 16, 1943	Letter to Hilda from Hansell Srs.
December 18, 1943	Note of condolence at Christmas from Air Marshall H. Edwards
December 1943	Transcript of EG's CBC national radio address "My Son Is Missing"
January 8, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from 434 Wing Commander Sutherland re: missing crew members
January 16, 1944	Letter to Mrs Hansell Sr. from Mrs Lindsay mother of crew member Sergeant H. Lindsay RAF (Flight Engineer) re: the possibility of two survivors
January 16, 1944	Letter to Mrs Hansell Sr. from Reg Chasmar father of crew member Sergeant M.D. Chasmer RAF (Wireless Op AG) sharing hope for survivors
January 22, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF re: Harry's promotion to Flight Sergeant
January 23, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from Hansell Srs. regarding the lack of information coming from the Canadian Red Cross
February 1, 1944	Certificate of Missing Status from Charles Power - Minister of National Defense sent to EG & Hilda
February 4, 1944	Letter to the National Film Board requesting information for EG concerning the '427 Lions Squadron' film in which Harry might have appeared
February 7, 1944	Letter to the Minister of National Defence from Group Captain re: names and addresses of crew members
February 9, 1944	Letter to EG from Powers secretary passing along the information received from the Group captain regarding crew member names & addresses
February 14, 1944	Letter to EG from the National Film Board re: film "The Lion Squadron"
February 29, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF Casualties Officer re: his request for more detail on the fate of the crew
March 2, 1944	Letter to EG from Jean Montieth mother of RCAF Flight Sergeant J.H.T. Monteith (Monty) (Bombardier) re: crash report indicating 5 are unidentified
April 12, 1944	Personal letter to EG from George McGeer MP re: condolence
April 29, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from RCAF Casualty Officer Chief of Air Staff re: Harry's UK service
June 10, 1944	Letter to EG & Hida from RCAF Casulty Officer Chief of Air Staff re: notice of presumption of death
June 20, 1944	Letter from EG to Powers secretary acknowledging the presumption of death
June 26, 1944	Letter from EG to Reg Chasmar father of crew member Sergeant M.D. Chasmar RAF (Wireless Op AG) regarding the official presumption of death for Harry
July 13, 1944	Letter to EG from Mrs Pedlar mother of Flight Sergeant R.C. Pedlar re: her son's rank
July 22, 1944	Letter to EG from Eileen Balmer about Harry's time at MacDonald Airbase near Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
July 24, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from Charles G Power Minister of National Defence providing detail of Harry's UK service including operations
August 3, 1944	Letter to EG & Hilda from Air Marshall Robert Leckie offering condolences re: Harry's presumption of death
August 15, 1944	Personal letter to EG from fellow MP John Blackmore offering condolence re: the official presumption of Harry's death
March 2, 1945	Letter to EG from Mrs Pedlar including details from her son's diary describing the crew's operations page 2 page 3