A WARTIME pal is searching for the Atherton man he served with in the Himalayas.

Leading Aircraftsman Jimmy Atherton teamed-up with Albert E "Ginger" Jones when in 1941/2 they were stationed at RAF Kirkham with the No 39 Wireless Observer Unit.

Now Ginger has asked The Journal for help in tracing his old mate and writes: "In January 1942 we were given a 24 hours pass to attend Jimmy's 21st party at his Atherton home.

"Shortly afterwards we sailed from Liverpool aboard the Belgian ship Leopoldville to Cape Town, and then the RMS Mauritania to Bombay (working together in the ships galley) then by SS Talma to Karachi.

"After a short stay at Drigh Road camp, Karachi, we travelled by train to Dehra town and then to Kailana - a camp 8,000 feet up in the Himalayas.

"We worked together in the station sick quarters there. Later when I changed by RAF trade to nursing orderly I was posted away and we lost contact.

"I have been trying ever since to find Jimmy or any news about him."

Speaking from his Liverpool home "Ginger", now 76, said he recalled his pal had worked in a hardware store and came from a "decent sized family".

He said:"I left the unit and served in India, Burma and Thailand losing contact with Jimmy. I don't even know if he survived the war. It would be nice to meet up again for a meal after all those years."

Anyone who can help should contact Mr Jones at 37 Harrismith Road, Fazakerley, Liverpool, L10 9LP (0151 525 6401) - or The Journal, Editorial Dept., 44-46 Railway Road, Leigh, WN7 4AT.

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