Are you related to this man? A UK village wants to talk to you

A villagein the United Kingdom is searching for a possible Winnipeg connection tothe Second World War.

The parish council inBarmbyMoor in northern England, wants to rename a road in a new village development after Royal Canadian Air Force air observer William Patrick James. The catch: they need his family's permission first, and the local squadron association believes they're still in Winnipeg where James was born.

"There's a lot of new house building in the area," said SimonKularatne, secretary and treasurer for the 102 Ceylon Squadron Association. He put out the call to track down the family or next of kin after a policy change which requires family notification prior to naming a street.

Kularatneis hoping the meagre details he has about James will help lead him to his relatives. James'sparents were named EricWallwynMcDonald James and Ellen Muriel Bertram,they lived on Balfour Roadin Winnipeg at the time of the airman's death, and he had two brothers, two sisters and a number of aunts and uncles.

A Canadian in the war effort

James died on Aug. 12, 1942 while serving in the 24 OTU Bomber Command.He, along with 41 other aircrew members, are buried in the cemeteryatBarmbyMoor church.

Kularatnesaid they wanted to rename the road in honour of James' s service.

The village has an intimate connection with the war, planes used to flyout from thevillage and nearbyPocklingtonevery day.Kularatneadds residents ofBarmbyMoor got to know the soldiers in the village shops and pubs.

"When you think of nearly twenty four-engine bombers taking off every night, the locals got quite a close connection to the air crew," he said. "So they think a great deal of the aircrew who flew from there."

Another Canadian connection

The village is also looking to name another street after a fallenCanadian, Charles Hackney. He was born in Toronto, and died on Feb. 26, 1942. His parents, Taylor Hackney and Helen (nee)Rolloare both from Dundee, Scotland, and lived onGlebeholmeRd. in Toronto at the time of Charles' death.

Any information relating to the family members can be directed to the squadron association'sFacebookpage.