Mike Early is hoping to contact an old school friend, Brian Rive, with whom he attended Townfield School in Hayes, Middlesex, in the late 1940s.

Mike, Brian and Brian’s elder brother, Dave, all attended the school and Dave was the school goal keeper.

When back in Jersey recently, Mike noticed a bench in St Brelade which was dedicated to a woman whom he believes was the Rives’ mother.

‘It reminded me of them and our school days. Brian and his elder brother David were very proud of the fact that we were jersey-born, and we had family still in Jersey throughout the Occupation,’ he said.

‘I still have one aunt in Jersey and lots of cousins. We children used to spend all our summer holidays with my grandparents coming over on the mail boats. Jersey holds lots of very happy memories for me – my father helped build the Barge Aground as a carpenter.’

Mike, who worked as a carpenter himself, now lives in Seaford, Suxxex, and has always had a love of boats. ‘That’s the jersey man in me I suppose,’ he added. ‘I am building a 30ft wooden steamboat at the moment.’

He still keeps in touch with the Island, where his parents’ ashes are interned, and visits a couple of times a year.

If anyone can help with information about Brian Rive, they can e-mail Mike at michaeljearly@hotmail.com