A FOREST man who was a prisoner of war during the Second World War wants to know if anybody else received a Welcome Home Fund certificate.

Ted Smith, 94, of Berry Hill, is apparently one of two people in the Forest to receive it when he arrived back home in 1945.

He said: "I was a prisoner of war for the Cheshire Regiment for six and half years and had travelled from Dunkirk to the Middle East before going to Italy. I tried to escape from there but was caught by the guards as I couldn't run very fast and so was later sent to Germany on a train to Nuremberg concentration camp.

"I was there for two and half years and escaped again - with success – and ran into the Americans. When I returned home I was presented with a Coleford Welcome Home Fund by the committee for my hard work and received five shillings – which back then was a nice bit of money.

He added: "As far as I know I was only one of two people in the Forest to receive it. Obviously I am 94 now and many of those who could have received it may well have died. It would be really interesting to know if perhaps when relatives were looking through items that they found anything like the certificate."