I AM carrying out research into my father's World War II bomber crew and am trying to trace any friends or family of a pilot who was a close companion of my father.

Tragically I believe this young pilot who came from the Blackpool area was killed in action.

His name was K Bennett and his nickname among the crew was Benny.

He served with the 458 Squadron, based at Bone in North Africa and he flew out from Talbenny in Wales with my dad Kenneth Wilkinson in a Wellington in 1943.

He was then second pilot and my father was rear gunner/wireless operator. Surviving colleagues were told Benny was killed, possibly in 1944, but I have not been able to get any confirmation of this.

Keith Wilkinson,

23 Ferndale Park,

Pedmore, Stourbridge,

West Midlands DY9 0RB.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.