WHEN Stephen Knee opened his Argus last week, a piece of his family history came flooding back.

Because Mr Knee, 52, of Thornhill, Cwmbran, is the nephew of Kenneth Price, the Pontypool airman whose cheery smile was used in RAF recruiting posters during World War Two.

We reported last week how local author Glyn Lloyd had found a story in our sister paper the Free Press in 1942 about Mr Price - a young airman who was chosen to front the poster campaign.

The story said: "When he and several other aircraftsmen were asked to pose for their photographs they had no idea of the purpose to which the chosen picture was to be put."

That prompted Mr Knee to call the Argus. Mr Knee's late mother Doreen Knee, nee Price, was Kenneth Price's sister.

When Doreen Price died two years ago her son Stephen inherited a number of her possessions, including her brother's wartime memorabilia.

In fact, Mr Knee owns a copy of the famous Wings for Victory poster featuring his uncle's thumbs up, exhorting men and women to back the war effort and support British pilots.

Mr Knee said: "It was amazing seeing the poster in the Argus knowing I have that same one in the attic. It was quite a shock really.

"I inherited all the memorabilia when mum died two years ago, including the posters and even his RAF wings. I wouldn't part with them for any money. They are family heirlooms."

Although Kenneth Price moved to South Africa after the war, Mr Knee remembers his uncle well from his brief visits to the UK.

He said: "I only saw him twice but I remember him as a very funny man, always telling jokes.

"He lost his hair quite young and I can always remember his big smiling face. I was about ten when he came over to the UK with his wife visiting from South Africa.

"Mum was always very proud of the fact that he was chosen for the poster. She was always saying 'our Ken is a handsome lad.'"