HEWITT'S HISTORY FILES

But that, sadly, is her only memory of her father.

Cecil Davis was drowned off the coast of Libya in 1943. He is buried at the Tripoli War Cemetery.

And that '“ for many years '“ represented the sum total of all that Ena and her sister, Sylvia Stiles, knew about their dad.

Every year, without fail, they have stood at Eastergate War Memorial, knowing virtually nothing of their father, not even his date of birth.

So, when it was suggested that they may like to know more about their father, they leapt at the chance.

Research carried out on behalf of the Rev Simon Holland, the rector of Aldingbourne, Barnham and Eastergate, has now started to fill in the blanks about the father they never knew.

Just before Remembrance Day, they met Mr Holland to learn about their father.

Every year at the war memorial, the names of those local men and women who died in all wars from the First World War to date are read out.

But that, sadly, is her only memory of her father.

Cecil Davis was drowned off the coast of Libya in 1943. He is buried at the Tripoli War Cemetery.

And that '“ for many years '“ represented the sum total of all that Ena and her sister, Sylvia Stiles, knew about their dad.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette November 14