A CANADIAN woman whose father was evacuated to Ilminster during the Second World War and served in the town’s Home Guard is appealing to the public to help track down his brothers in arms.

Geoffrey Ford previously lived in Orpington, London, and was evacuated to Ilminster in November 1940 as an employee for Standard Telephone and Cables (STC).

While in Ilminster, Mr Ford met his future wife Betty, née Weatherell, who had also been evacuated to Somerset and taught at Ilminster Girls Grammar School and Wells Blue School.

They married in 1944 and then stayed in Somerset, living in several places including Shepton Beauchamp and Isle Abbots, and in 1947, Betty gave birth to their daughter, Jancis.

Now Jan, who has lived in Calgary, Canada for a number of years, is trying to track down her father’s comrades.

She said: “According to his Home Guard Certificate of Proficiency, dated March 1944, he was a private in the Signals Section of the 11th Somerset (Ilminster) battalion and was a member from November 30, 1942, until December 31, 1944.

“A group photograph taken in about 1943 shows 16 STC men in front of their gun house, which was thatched for camouflage.

“This location was called Sea and formed part of a line of defences consisting of pillboxes and gun emplacements stretching from Ilminster northwards to Ilton, Creech St Michael and Bridgwater.

“The picture shows Geoffrey Ford, with glasses and moustache, in the back row, fifth from the left. Phil Shatford is thought to be next to him, fourth from the left, and Chris Foulkes is possibly in the front row, third from the left.

“Home Guard training for STC employees was held in the evenings and weekends.

“It included general preparedness for German invasion and becoming proficient in using a rifle, 36M hand grenades, sten machine carbine, signalling and map reading.

“It would be wonderful to put a name to everyone in this picture.”

If you can help identify Mr Ford’s brothers in arms, contact Jancis Ford at fordj@shaw.ca.