Bosworth family sought after 1967 letters found in loft Published duration 4 October 2019

image copyright Charlotte Mohamed image caption Charlotte Mohamed said she was reading through the letters in date order and felt like she had got to know the family

A British Army engineer's family is being sought after his letters from the Middle East were found in a loft.

Sapper John Bosworth wrote to his wife Milly in Germany in 1967, while he was posted at the North Yemen civil war

Decades later, a box containing about 50 of his letters was found in the loft of a house in Rayleigh, Essex.

"If these belonged to my family I would want to have them - they're part of their history," said Charlotte Mohamed, whose parents made the discovery.

"My mum and dad found them when they bought an empty house about 15 years ago.

"We came across them again recently and hoped, with social media, we might be able to find who they belong to."

Brief clues in the letters have been posted on a Rayleigh community page on Facebook, with Mrs Mohamed hoping to extend the search further.

Mass burial

The letters are written to "My darling Milly, David and Lynda", the couple's children, and addressed to Mrs MF Bosworth at a British Forces PO Box in Germany.

At the time, David was beginning to learn to read and Lynda was a baby or toddler.

image copyright Express Newspapers/Getty Images image caption British soldiers were posted to North Yemen during the civil war

"It sounds like Milly is lonely in Germany, that she had to move out there," said Mrs Mohamed, who said there was no obvious connection to Essex.

"I am still sifting through them and you feel like you get to know them.

"Something in the letters made me feel sad; he said he was involved in the mass burial of 25 soldiers."

In a letter from 10 May 1967, he apologies that he will not be home for Milly's birthday but had sent her a birthday card.

"I just keep thinking, 'what if they are still alive? It would be lovely for them to have them back'," said Mrs Mohamed.

"I know I would be so grateful if someone did that for me."