The crash involved an RAF Halifax, registration MHZ-467, which was shot down over Germany in the early hours of April 17, 1945.

Crew member Pete Naylor (1671430) RAF was linked to the Sheffield area. He was born on December 10, 1922.

Greg, from Australia, says: "His mother's name was Blanche Naylor of 69 Broad Street Sheffield and she ran a grocery business and was a widow. Another name I have listed as a family friend is Miss Audrey Culf from 185 Penistone Road, Sheffield. In archival records P A Naylor was listed as coming from Leeds but I have no dates of when he may have moved to that area.

"He was one of three survivors of the crash and kept in contact with an eyewitness near the crash site in Germany for many years until that eyewitness passed away.

"The widow of the eyewitness threw away all the letters from Mr Naylor, including the address. I would like to make contact with P A Naylor or any relatives if possible to advise them of a planned memorial at the crash site in Germany in April 2009."

•Contact: Greg Weir though MZ-467 Crash website: www.nikylasmith.com/allanlodder or by email at greg@nikylasmith.com

TRUDY Hindmarsh is trying to trace relatives of Guardsman Stanley French, who was originally from Chesterfield but whose family members could have moved to Sheffield.

She says: "Stan was in the same brigade of guards as my dad in the Second World War. He had, like my dad, James Hibbert from Stockport, originally been in the Royal Army Corps but three pals had been recruited into the Scots Guards tank regiment when the Scots Guards lost a lot of men at Anzio.

"Dad and his two pals, Stan French and Charlie Jones, volunteered to transfer because they were tall enough to be in the guards. They were then in the third battalion Scots Guards and the 6th Guards Tank Brigade.

"Then D Day came. My dad had been admitted to hospital in London, when his tank regiment was sent to Normandy. "Stan was 23 at the time and he was killed in November 1944 and buried in a War Commission graveyard in Helmond, Netherlands. Dad`s memory is not that good but he seemed to remember that they had been bombed when camping. "We have only discovered Stan's grave whereabouts this weekend, from a War Grave Commission's web site search. My dad said that, at the time, Stan's mother wrote to my dad to tell him of her son's death. Dad also lost touch with his other friend Charlie Jones at this time, so in effect lost both mates.

"I am wondering if there are any of Stan French`s relatives living in the Chesterfield area today. My dad often talks of his good pal (I have known about him since my childhood). My dad is now coming up to 85 years old and it would be good to find a connection for him."

•Contact: Trudy Hindmarsh, 71 Woolsington Drive, Middleton St George, Nr Darlington, DL2 1UL. Email: trudyhindmarsh@stagecoachyarm.fsnet.co.uk or call 01325 337586.

To make an appeal in Contact Column write to Fiona Firth, Contact Column, The Star, York Street, Sheffield, S1 1PU or email fiona.firth@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk

Read more in our nostalgia section and see previous Contact Columns.