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 WONDER if you could help me trace the four friends I worked with in Osnabruck, West Germany, from August 1966 to April 1967,’ writes Rosemary Ray, nee Mills.
‘ We were 18- yearold nannies working for the 1st Battalion the Royal Scots Regiment. My friends were Anne Gunn, Joy Beasley, Janet Heaps and Sue Tocknell.
‘We would push the prams on long walks and spent our days off together in Osnabruck. I worked for the family of Colonel Bill Currie and returned with them in April 1967 to Eastbourne, East Sussex, until they were posted that year to Malaysia.
‘ I then moved back home to Dover, where I worked as a secretary.
‘ Today, I’m my own boss with a successful health and safety advisory firm for building workers. I’ve been happily married for 46 years with a son, daughter and three granddaughters.
‘I have never forgotten my nanny friends from the Sixties and would love a chance to get back in contact with them.’ IF there is someone you’d 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 phone number. All communications will be answered as soon as possible. A small donation is requested for Gill Whitley’s services.
WE HAVE scored a great success in reuniting Harry Obeney, of Poole, in Dorset, with his old schoolfriends.
He sent us a photo of Hunters Hall Primary School in Dagenham, Essex, showing ten-year-old pupils celebrating winning a football cup in the 1948-1949 season.
‘The lad holding the cup is Graham Helburg, who has lived in New Zealand since 1954,’ wrote Harry.
‘We have kept in touch and would love to make contact with any of the others.
‘Graham would particularly like to meet up with David Wade, as they went on to the same senior school.
‘The others in my photo include Tony Mansfield, Dickie Guy, Dave Austin and Albert Webber. Standing at the far right is headmaster Mr Farren.
‘It would be a truly great celebration if our old team could get together again.’
We got an email from Eric Stratford, who is sitting next to Harry in the picture.
We also heard from Tamara Lightfoot, who told us that though her father Kevin Murphy wasn’t in the football team, he was in Harry’s class and would like to meet up.
‘This would be a special present for his 80th birthday,’ said Tamara.
‘They went to primary and secondary school together, but Dad chose to do boxing instead of football.’