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. Howard SHepHerd is looking for his army conscript mates from the Fifties. He writes: Having received my call-up papers for national Service in July 1953, i agreed to sign on for regular service because it paid more and was initially for a three-year stint.
i joined the Royal army Medical Corps that September and was posted to Catterick Camp, north Yorkshire. after a while i applied for a posting to Hong Kong or Singapore, but was sent to Hanover, germany in March 1954.
i gained nursing orderly qualifications and promotion to lance corporal, and took charge of the hospital post office, through which i befriended many patients.
One was Don Harris (a fellow Londoner), and we became good friends. Don was eventually invalided to Colchester, Essex, for eventual discharge. Sadly, we did not swap home addresses so our contact was broken.
i am also searching for four colleagues stationed with me at British Military Hospital Hanover: Bert Wiltshire, at whose wedding i was best man; John Cook, who played ice hockey at Streatham prior to call-up and loved modern jazz; Tom Jowers, of Tottenham, who i would visit at his father’s house; and John Huggett, also from London.
i was to be discharged in august 1956 and was on demob leave at my mother’s home in Forest gate, London, when the Suez crisis occurred and i was recalled.
i was posted to Cambridge Military Hospital in aldershot, Hampshire, and spent a further 119 days running its post office as a full corporal.
i hope you can help me regain contact with some or all of these old pals. LaST month, Peter Wildsmith of Burton on Trent, Staffs, was looking for his old school friend, Peter Simic.
They were pupils at allenton Secondary Modern School for Boys in Derby. His photo showed the brass band (1963-64) in which they learned to play instruments: Peter Wildsmith the trumpet and Peter Simic trombone.
‘The band was the brainchild of our metalwork master Mr Eric Robinson and woodwork master Mr Richard Baxter,’ Peter told us. ‘Mr Robinson taught virtually all of us in it to play our instruments. a fine saxophonist, he also taught Mr Baxter to play cornet. Through his metalwork skills, Mr Robinson was able to repair many instruments.’
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to reunite the two Peters yet — but we received a touching note from Brenda Jones: ‘ i saw the article mentioning Eric Robinson, who was my ex-husband. He died in September. ‘Eric had continued to play his sax until he had a stroke last Christmas. i cannot help trace the missing friend, but i would like the lads from the band to know about Eric and i would like to contact Peter. ‘Your article was a wonderful tribute to Eric, just four weeks after his death. My family is amazed by the timing and the fact we bought the Daily Mail that day for Tv times while away from home.’ it’s so sad that Eric, a fine teacher, just missed out on having a reunion with an erstwhile musical protege.
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 traceSmart (tracesmart.co.uk). a small donation will be requested for employing Gill whitley’s services.