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.
‘AS A long-standing reader of the Daily Mail, I write in the hope that you can help re-establish contact with an old friend I lost touch with many years ago,’ writes John Tester, of Norwich.
‘He is Dave Watts, and we were friends during much of my National Service — from February 1958 to February 1960.
‘We were stationed at RAF Melksham, Wiltshire, where Dave was in the Medical Corps. We were not in the same billet, as Dave was required to live in medical quarters, but we spent a fair bit of time together around the countryside.
‘I was fortunate enough to have a local posting, and went home most weekends to Frome in Somerset.
‘Dave, whose father, I believe, worked on the railways, went home to Littlehampton. I remember him getting a lift on the back of the scooter of our friend, Gerry Grant, who lived not too far away — much to Dave’s horror!
‘Following demob, we both moved to London to work in the civil service. We went to football matches and, when I married, in October 1961, Dave attended.
‘He got married not long afterwards, to Diane Cubbitt, but I was unable to attend the wedding.
‘Sometime afterwards, we lost touch. I attach a wedding photo — the only picture I have of Dave. He’s second from left in the middle row.
‘Any help you can give to reunite us would be much appreciated.’ IN JUNE, we ran this nice little tale from Brian Eastty: ‘When I was a student at Stirling University, I was a member of the Stirling Amateur Gourmet Society.
‘I have to stress this dining club was not at all like the Bullingdon in manners (we always left a restaurant exactly as we’d found it) or in numbers. There were only four of us, and I’d love to track down the two I’ve long since lost contact with, so we could have a reunion.
‘Roland Paterson, from Ayr, graduated in philosophy in 1981. After Stirling, he trained as an actor at the Drama Studio London. He was a compere at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, appearing in a BBC documentary about it in 1997, and a comedy scriptwriter for Jasper Carrott and Smith and Jones.
‘The other is Steve Hunt, from Godalming, who graduated in psychology in 1981. After Stirling, he studied postgrad at Cambridge. We lost contact after that, but I heard he became a child psychiatrist in the Fens. I am 57 and live in Southend. I’m an actor, though my day job is a school careers teacher.’
Roland saw the item and emailed, asking to be put in touch. But there’s sad news regarding Steve.
‘I run a Facebook group for old pupils from Godalming grammar and sixth-form college,’ emailed Nick Lucas.
‘I put your article on the group page. It was reported back to me that Steve Hunt died about 12 years ago.’
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.