A MYSTERY has surfaced over the whereabouts of a Weymouth serviceman's ashes after he died during the Second World War.

William Thomas Outen, who was from either Broadwey or Upwey, was in the Royal Air Force when he was captured by the Japanese and he died in May 1943 while he was in a prisoner-of-war camp.

After Mr Outen's death his best friend Frank Planton, who was a prisoner in Japan with him, cared for his ashes for around two years in the hope they could be returned to his family.

Once the prison camps were liberated Mr Planton, who is now in his early 80s, gave the ashes to the captain of an American hospital ship with instructions to return them to Mr Outen's family in Weymouth.

But 58 years later the whereabouts of Mr Outen's ashes is now in dispute after a book on the war in the Pacific 'Unsung heroes of the Royal Air Force' lists Mr Outen as being buried in Japan.

Mr Planton, who lives in Norfolk, has been left devastated by the claims as he had hoped his friend's remains had been returned to his family.

In a bid to solve the mystery, retired Ministry of Defence worker Ron Ellis, 70, of Field Barn Drive, Weymouth, was contacted by a friend of Mr Planton's to help make some enquiries in the town.

And Mr Ellis got in touch with the Dorset Echo in the hope a reader may have information about what happened to the ashes.

Mr Ellis said: "No one seems to know whether the ashes came back to Weymouth, if they were scattered at sea or buried in Japan.

"I have checked with the Royal British Legion's Weymouth branch, the Royal Air Forces Association, and the telephone directory but so far I haven't come up with anything.

"We believe Mr Outen's mother remarried and changed her name and that Mr Outen's stepfather was a monumental mason.

"If anyone has information about Mr Outen and believe they may be related to him or know what happened to his ashes could they please get in contact with Mr Planton's friend, Rocky Thompson, on (01366) 500274."