Veteran trio reunited after 50 years apart
Ken Pavey, Bernard Tedhams and Mick Chapman in 1956
THREE soldiers have been reunited in Eastbourne after 50 years apart.
Corporal Bernhard Tedhams served in the Royal Sussex Regiment with Ken Pavey and Mick Chapman in 1956.
The trio lost touch for more than 50 years, despite Mick Chapman being Bernhard’s best man at his wedding.
After a decades of searching, Berhard Tedhams found Mick Chapman when Robin Brown, a World War Two veteran and professional people finder, used 192.com to trace Ken Pavey’s address. Mr Brown served in the Royal Engineers in 1943, and now runs a people finding enterprise.
Mr Brown used the 192.com’s 27 million edited electoral records to match a name and address. He found Pavey’s address within 24 hours.
Bernhard Tedhams said, “Robin Brown gave us Mick’s address but no phone number. So the next day off we went to Brighton and turned up on Mick’s doorstep!
“I had to pluck up the courage to knock on door, Mick answered the door and it was him!
“He did not immediately recognise me, but when he did he went mad. It was really good to see him again.”
“I then got in touch with Ken Pavey and we made a date to meet up at the Redoubt.
“It was windy and it rained hard all day. After having lunch the sun shone and the boys Ken and Mick said what a good day it had been.”
Mick Chapman added, “I did my National Service with The Royal Sussex Regiment at Chichester between 1954 – 1956.
“It is where I met Bernhard ‘Ted’ Tedhams and Ken Pavey. Ted was my Best Man at my wedding in March 1959.
“It was sometime after that we lost touch with each other.
“You can imagine my surprise and delight when Ted and his lovely wife Jean knocked on my door.
“Ted and Jean had been looking for me for over 20 years, what perseverance.
“We had a good, long chat and took photos I have also been to see Ted and Jean at their home in Kent and we keep in touch by phone.”
Dominic Blackburn from 192.com said, “We are delighted to lean that we were of assistance in this case, and it’s always so satisfying know we’ve helped reunite long-lost friends.”
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Friday 24 May 2013
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