HE wasn't even a year old when his father was killed during World War Two, but Brian Williams was given an emotional new link to his dad thanks to a letter printed in the Argus.

The letter told how Air Gunner Sergeant Haydn George Williams was one of seven men killed when a Lancaster bomber was shot down near the village of Elspeet, Holland on February 20, 1944. It appealed for any surviving relatives of the ariman to come forward. Now his son Brian Williams is preparing to visit the country after the shock discovery that his father's remains are buried abroad. A letter by RAF Association chairman Malcolm Mason MBE was featured in Tuesday's edition.

The gunner from Varteg was 22 at the time and the letter read: "As the other six members of the crew were all unmarried, the likelihood of tracing next of kin is remote, but Sergeant Williams' widow, or even children, may still be alive and living in the viccinity of Varteg."

The reason for the appeal was to let relatives know of a monument that will be unveiled at the crash site in Elspeet during the anniversary of the liberation of the village next year. It was liberated on 14 April 1945.

This triggered a flurry of phone calls to Brian Williams, 64 from Pisgah Road, Talywain.

"I used to work on the payroll at Neville Hall Hospital until I had a stroke 17 months ago and one of my former colleagues phoned up to proclaim your dad's in the paper," he explained.

"Then an old school friend rang up as well. It took my breath away as my mother told me snippets, but she didn't like to talk about it too much so I didn't know a great deal about my dad. I was straight on the email to Mr Mason telling him I'd love to be a part of next year's event. It has been very emotional now with all this happening."

Unfortunately, Mr Williams' mother, Evelyn passed away in 2005 and with his sister Kay having died in 1979, he is the only surviving relative of his father.

He is now looking forward to the emotional visit to Holland for the ceremony.

"I wouldn't miss it next year for the world. My three children and five grandchildren have all been on the phone as well to say how wonderful it is."

He and his wife Pauline, 63 actually visited the Harderwijk General Cemetery where his father is buried in 1972 and had ironically planned to go again this year, but had to cancel their plans.

Haydn Williams who was known as Don' was a talented boxer who won a number of RAF tournaments, but a lot of information about his movements in the RAF are not known as the family don't have his logbook. But Mr Williams plans to find out as much as he can when he visits next April.