Reunited by the Gazette

11:51am Friday 25th April 2008

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The Gazette has helped reunite a former Wing Commander and the family of a comrade for the first time in 42 years.

Bob Langton, 76, from Devon, wrote in the hope of finding Brian Willoughby, who he knew had lived in the Chippenham area.

His plea in our letters page was spotted by family friend Alan Major.

And although Mr Willoughby died from a heart attack eight years earlier, aged 55, his widow Rosemary, 66, of Buckingham Road, Pewsham, Chippenham, contacted Mr Langton.

They finally got together last week and spent several hours looking at old photo slides of RAF Sharjah, in the Persian Gulf, where the airmen were based in 1965.

The slideshow was of the desert excursions the men undertook in their spare time.

Mrs Willoughby, who met Mr Langton briefly in 1966, said: "It was lovely to see Bob again and to look at the old pictures."

Mr Langton said: "I decided to get in touch after all this time when I was sorting out my slides from years ago. I spotted Brian and wondered what is he doing now.

"So I contacted the RAF and they couldn't locate him for me.

"I went on to write a letter to the Gazette and Herald as I new he had lived in the Chippenham area. The paper gave a good result where the RAF couldn't."

Mr Langton and Mrs Willoughby enjoyed reminiscing, as she had worked as a RAF civilian telephonist for 31 years, retiring from Rudloe Manor in 2001.

Mr Langton, who never married, said: "I do wish I had got in touch earlier but when you are in the RAF you do lose touch with people you have worked with.

Mrs Willoughby said: "I would love to meet up with Bob again. I have told him he is welcome to come to my house or I may go down to Devon to see him in the summer."