Within a week or so of starting on the web site I had an email from a man named Ed Cooke.
Ed soon told me he was on Skype, a video chat program that allows you to talk for free all over the world.
Since our first conversation I have come to see this man not only as a war hero, not only as a font of knowledge (Ed has a memory like an elephant), but as a friend I have yet to meet.
We have just ended a conversation that lasted about two hours! Ed was good enough to go through the back of Chris Goss's book, It's Suicide, but it's fun. It's the part where it lists all the planes that crashed, or where lost.
I wanted to see who Ed could remember if anyone.. I mean it was only 70 years ago..
I now have about 20 new crew pages to write, dozens and dozens of people who I can now not only put a first name too, but can add a nickname, and just the odd one or two strange stories.
Many of the crashes in mainland Britain Ed can remember, many of these people where his friends.
I'd like to apologise to Ed for taking him through this, it must have been very hard for him, and yet he did not for one moment give me that impression.
Like myself, I believe that Ed Cooke want's these people to be remembered. Not just as a bunch of names on a page, but as people, friends, crew mates, hero's.
Ed, thank you on behalf of every single person that reads pages on our site that you have helped make.
I hope very much to one day shake this man's hand.. he had so better get his butt over to England next year... I may even write to Pres Obama and have him shipped over in Air Force One.. he certainnly deserves it.
Bless you Ed, stay well, keep in touch..
Chris Harper
Webmaster