ANCESTRAL DISCOVERY
Canadian Aviation Trail
Ancestral Discovery
Welcome to “Bomber County”, Lincolnshire. During WWII, the area was home to servicemen from all over the world, including many Canadians and Americans among the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force. For many visitors, a trip to the UK is a journey of ancestral discovery and remembrance that will stay with them forever.
To help our friends from Canada trace the footsteps and experiences of relatives and loved ones, we have put together a special self-guided trail of the area. Using our map and guide, visitors can learn more about wartime heroes and their close collaboration with British forces. The guide includes selected war memorials and cemeteries, along with recommended WWII visitor sites that are sure to be of great interest.
Can we help?
If planning your own visit to the UK - whether sight-seeing or tracing wartime family roots – you are very welcome to contact us to see how we can help you.
Download our Canadian Aviation Trail Map & Guide.
Reunions, Events and the Petwood Connection
In 2014, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum team made an epic journey to the UK to reunite the worlds' only two airworthy Lancasters for a summer of thrills and spectacular shows. Based only a few miles from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, many of the crew stayed at the Petwood Hotel, which quickly came to be known as 'home'.
More recently in 2018, Canadians also joined those from across the globe at the opening ceremony of the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln. A fitting tribute to the bravery of those who served, many of whom were from Canada. The new visitor centre includes several Walls of Names that honour nearly 58,000 men and women from all over the world who gave their lives. The IBCC site also has a special Losses Database where you can track down relatives and find out more about their time in Bomber Command.
