MISSING . . . and FOUND!
THE DAILY MAIL offers readers a unique opportunity to re-establish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER features the story of someone trying to find a missing loved one, as well as a tale of people reunited. This column is produced in conjunction with the voluntary tracing service, Searching For A Memory, run by Gill and John Whitley. Albert Short, of blackpool, writes: ‘ In the midFifties, when I was serving in the rAF at rheindahlen, Germany, I had a very good friend called eddie bate, who was from birmingham.
‘over many years I have tried to trace him through various channels, but never had any success.
‘like me, he will be in his 80s now, if he is still with us. It would be great to find him and know how life has treated him.
‘I joined the rAF in 1953 and two years later I was posted to NAto headquarters in rheindahlen, where I met eddie. he was a corporal in the officers’ Mess, while I was a corporal in the rAF Police.
‘We were great mates and had some great times together. In February 1957 we spent three weeks on leave together, skiing in Mayrhofen, Austria. I came back to the UK in 1957, and he remained in Germany.
‘My photo shows him on his wedding day in 1958, when he married a German lady. I did get an invitation to his wedding but was unable to attend. he later sent me this photo from the day. After I was demobbed I joined the Wigan borough Police.
‘eddie and I corresponded for a short time, but then for one reason or another we lost touch.
‘In 1964 I transferred to the Kent Police, where I remained until I retired in 1988.
‘It would be wonderful to meet up with eddie again or at least to find out where and how he is.’ BACK in May, bob hall enlisted our help in searching for his missing fellow members of the 1959 rugby First XV of Northgate Grammar School for boys, Ipswich, Suffolk.
he was in touch with all but eight of the 16, and said, sadly, the headmaster and rugby coach seated either side of him in the photo were no longer alive.
the missing players were: barry Williams ( winger); Graeme Massey ( centre); Dave berry (prop); Norman Gammer; John hobbs (forward); Pete bradley (wing forward); colin lewis (hooker); and brian heritage.
‘Whilst by no means invincible, we enjoyed some good wins over other schools in the east Anglian region. but, as with so many other grammar schools, Northgate ceased to exist as such in 1976 and has no old boys Association through which to trace people.
‘We hope you can assist us in our search so that our missing team-mates can join us for future nostalgic reunions, laughs and catching up.’
Alas, we have news of only one of these missing men, brian heritage, who we have learnt passed away many years ago. this informative email arrived from roger Pow:
‘ I worked for Somerset Probation Service and brian was one of our assistant chief officers. he retired from the service decades ago and moved to France, where he renovated an old farmhouse with the intention of running a holiday venture with his wife. Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack.
‘Should bob hall wish to get in touch, please give him my email address.’
IF there is someone you would like to trace, write to Gill Whitley, 1 Newbrook house, New hall Lane, Preston, Pr1 5Pe, enclosing an SAe, or send an email to monica.porter@dailymail. co.uk — including a contact phone number. All communications will be answered as soon as possible. this column is researched with the aid of Peopletracer (www.peopletracer.co.uk). A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services.