PIC: 1954 Weymouth seafront

WE'VE had a request from Eric Coates to find his childhood friend Michael Brown.

Eric knew Michael when he was 15 as a member of the Boys Regiment Royal Artillery based at Hereford.

He said: "In 1953 I met one of the best friends I ever had, his name was Michael Brown. "Mike was from Ferndale Road in Weymouth, he had a brother who I think was called Walter.

"Mike was six months older than I,when we got to seventeen and a half we were posted to regular army units, Mike went to Germany and later I was sent to the Middle East.

"We wrote and he told me he was married to a German girl, and later he told me all about his son, this was in 1958.

"I had some leave to come and of all things I decided to hitch hike from Malta to Wuppertal, Germany to attend the Christening of Mike's son."

Eric said Mike gave his son the middle name 'Eric' and asked him to be Godfather to his newborn.

The pair continued to write but it tailed off.

The last Eric heard from Mike was when he wrote in 1962 saying he didn't know if he should sign on or get out of the Army.

The two friends then lost contact.

Eric is hoping that Mike's brother Walter might still be in the area so he can put him in touch with his long-lost friend.

*IF you can help get in touch with Looking Back on 01305 830973.