Veteran in plea for help to trace army pals
A former Midland soldier has launched a search to try to find some of his old army mates from the South Staffordshire Regiment.
Mick Hoult, now aged 72, was called up for National Service at the age of 18 in November 1954, joining the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment as a signaller.
The father-of-two and grandfather-of-three spent two years in the regiment doing stints in Eygpt followed by Cyprus which saw him spend a total of 20 months in a tent.
Now he is trying to trace his old pals from HQ Company, Signal Platoon, whom he got to know while they were posted in Nicosia.
He has sent this picture of him self outside the barracks with the friends he is trying to trace. The men he is hoping to track down are Douglas Gomery, Ron Parker and Ken Wheeler. He thinks they would all also be in their 70s.
Mr Hoult, who now lives in Shrewsbury but lived in Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, and Essington until his 40s, said: "We were all friends but I have not been in touch with them since then.
"I have met up with some other friends on a reunion in Pleck, Walsall, but I would really like to hear from these because they were my old mates.
"I really want to get in touch with them.
"I don't know where they lived as you didn't really think about that at the time, but the South Staffordshire Regiment recruited from the Midlands. I have been looking for them for a couple of years but haven't been able to find them yet.
"If they could get in touch with me I would like to hold a reunion somewhere in Wolverhampton as it would be nice to see them again."
Mr Hoult, who is married to Sandra, aged 65, and worked as a plumber after completing his National Service, added: "I didn't want to go in to do National Service but I really enjoyed the camaraderie."
Anyone with information about the men in the photograph can contact Mr Hoult by calling 01743 241835 or email southstaffords @talktalk.net
