AN appeal has been launched to reunite a war hero from Prestwich and his family with a film he appeared in 70 years ago.

Private Brian Chadwick, of the 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment, of Heaton Park, is one of four soldiers from the borough featured in 'Calling Blighty'.

This is a series of short films made from 1944-46 of individual servicemen and women in the Far East sending personal messages home to their family and friends.

The poignant messages would have been shown to audiences in local cinemas, and only 48 of the near-400 issues made are known to have survived.

A project, run by Manchester Metropolitan University's Northern Film Archive, is now trying to find as as many families and veterans as possible, to bring them together to experience the films again and to share their stories.

Manchester School of Art’s Professor Steve Hawley said "These few remaining films are a unique picture of 600 young Manchester servicemen (and two women) in the Far East around VJ day. As a research resource this is priceless, and as a human document the spirit and humour of the soldiers shines through in a very moving way."

Nearly all of the films were found complete with the sheets of contact details showing the names and addresses of the family and friends who were invited to the screenings, and an online database has been set up containing over 600 records and film clips.

The other Bury-based soldiers featured in the clips are:

- Corporal Humphrey Brownrigg, B O R Survey Cadre R E, who had family in the Redvales Road area

- Private R Nelson, 13 Parachute Bn, of Radcliffe

- General W F Meigh, 24/aa/a Tk Regt Ra, of Elton

The Archive’s service manager, Marion Hewitt, said “This is a project I have been hoping to do for many years, and now with funding from Film Hub North West Central, and support from Manchester School of Art and HOME, we can finally achieve this long-held aim.”

Alongside the attempt to trace people, a new artist film is being made by Steve Hawley, combining some of the most interesting and appealing stories.

It will be screened on Monday November 23, at HOME in Manchester – the city’s new arts venue, while the film archive is also working to produce a documentary on 'Calling Blighty' for Channel 4.

To see the the database: visit www.nwfa.mmu.ac.uk/blighty/index.php

If you recognise anyone in the films: e-mail blighty@mmu.ac.uk or phone Marion Hewitt on 0161 247 3097.