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.
‘MY COLLEAGUES and I have been searching for John Askew, who was one of our group during National Service days in the RAF in 1952,’ writes John Usher.
‘The enclosed photo shows us all on a bridge near RAF Swanton Morley in 1952. John is the tall guy in the centre (third from right).
‘I am beside him on the right. The others are David (Dai) Parsons, Gordon (Tich) Toplis, David (Flash) Arnold and Brian Petherbridge.
‘John had been a police cadet at Leamington Spa before his National Service call-up.
‘We all felt fortunate in being selected for aircrew and trained as air signallers.
‘The Korean War in 1950 led to the need for a tenfold increase in aircrew, with a limited number of National Servicemen helping to fill the shortfall. Our initial training was at Compton Bassett and then at Swanton Morley for flying training, before passing out as Sergeant Air Signallers 12 months later.
‘John was a popular guy, possibly due to the fact he had a two-seater sports car.
‘In September 1952, we all qualified and were posted to various squadrons.
‘The rest of us in the photo have met up for reunions, but we’ve been unable to track down John. We would love your help in finding him.’
YOU may recall this recent item regarding the Metro Cycle Racing Club: ‘I would love you to find my cycle racing friends from the Fifties and Sixties,’ wrote Brian Ward, of Meopham, Kent.
‘In 1952, while at Shooters Hill Grammar School, I founded the Metro Cycle Racing Club, which became affiliated to the British League of Racing Cyclists.
‘We held weekly meetings in a cellar under the Meridian cycle shop next to the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, South-East London.
‘We would go on evening training rides of 30 to 60 miles in the Kent countryside. At weekends, we entered a team in road races held throughout Kent, Surrey, Essex and beyond, and regularly won the team prize. We were all aged 15 to 18.
‘Now in our 70s and 80s, I would love to rekindle those friendships.’
We have already reunited Brian with Joe James, who emailed: ‘What a blast from the past! I am bottom right in the photo, which I think was taken in 1956 in our club room above an eel and pie shop in Woolwich.’
And Brian responded: ‘I cannot describe my emotions on receiving this wonderful news after all these years. Thanks for your help.’
Now, there is a further happy outcome. Three of the cycling compadres have made contact: Peter Tuffin, Jack Marshall (holding the shield, above) and Ray Holmes.