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.
‘I’D DEARLY like to trace my best friend from school,’ writes Linda Heaton, nee Eardley. ‘ Her name is Kathleen Ensor, born in June 1944.
‘We went to Green Rock primary in Walsall, West Midlands, from 1949 to 1955, and then Blue Coat secondary. Kathleen and I were inseparable, always sitting side- by- side in lessons. I was sporty — playing netball and doing athletics — while she was arty with a beautiful singing voice.
‘After leaving school in 1960, we kept in touch for a while. She came to my wedding in 1963, but after that it was just cards at Christmas. The last time we met was in 1967.
‘I believe Kathleen wed and had a son. It would be wonderful to catch up on each other’s lives.’ LAST autumn we ran an item from John Usher, who told us: ‘My colleagues and I are searching for John Askew, who was one of our group during National Service days in the RAF in 1952. The others are David Parsons, Gordon Toplis, David Arnold and Brian Petherbridge.
‘ We all felt fortunate in being selected for aircrew for National Service and trained as air signallers.
‘The start of the Korean War in 1950 led to a tenfold increase in aircrew, with National Servicemen helping to fill the shortfall.
‘John was popular — he owned a two-seater Morgan sports car that managed to transport several of us into Norwich at the weekends.
‘After leaving the RAF, I returned to Post Office engineering at Kendal, and John had a career in the Metropolitan Police.
‘I retired from BT in 1991 and my wife and I are still enjoying life to the full. The rest of us have regular National Service reunions, but we’ve been unable to track down John.’ We have some sad news. ‘Sadly, John died in 2002, and I am his widow after 47 years together,’ writes Shirley Askew.
‘How he would have loved a reunion with the lads from his RAF days.
‘Please pass on my thanks for John’s kind thoughts about my John, who was, indeed, a lovely man.’
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. A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services.