Barnsley Chronicle chief reporter Jack Tolson takes a look back through the Chronicle Archives to June 2005
CHRONICLE HELPS REUNITE WARTIME PALS
VETERAN Frank Dobson has been reunited a man he hasn’t seen since they were in a Polish prisoner of war camp - thanks to an article in the Chronicle.
He served with the Scottish Black Watch and recognised Bernard Smith when he saw a picture of him receiving a veteran’s medal from Barnsley’s mayor.
Frank, 83, of Birdwell, said: “I recognised his features straight away.
“I hadn’t even known his first name, we called him Smudgie because of his surname.”
Frank was taken to a Stalag camp in December 1940 for attempting to escape from other POW camps.
He was put in a cell block for 21 days’ punishment and Bernard, who was with the Seaforth Islanders, was the only other prisoner there.
Frank added: “It was such a coincidence that he was from Barnsley as well.
“He helped me and told me how I could escape into the main camp because there were people there I knew and wanted to see.
“It’s good to know he made it back to Barnsley and got married.
“It was emotional to see him again.”
PAIR TRAIN HARD FOR CHINA CHALLENGE
PAUL Barker and his daughter Lisa are in for the trek of a lifetime as they prepare to walk the Great Wall of China.
The Monk Bretton pair will cover an estimated 1,500 miles as they follow the path of the historic landmark in aid of Age Concern.
The challenge will involve more than 40 hours of walking over ten days and the luxury of a long soak in a hotel bath banned as they will sleep in tents.
Paul, 53, and Lisa, 26, have already started to get in shape for the mission.
They have an exercise programme planned for the gym and hope to get in a few days of training in before they go to China in October.
Paul is looking forward to the challenge but admits it will be tough.
He said: “It won’t be easy, it’s not like we’re going on holiday.
“There’s a lot to get through and you need to be quite fit before you go.
“But it will be worth it to raise the money because a lot of the elderly are on their own and they need all the help they can get.”
JAY IS SOME BODY
JAY Hollingsworth, a fitness instructor from Brampton, has won the under 21 section of a Yorkshire body building championship.
He also came overall third when he appeared on stage with all the other class winners at the National Physique Association championships at Holmfirth.
Jay, 20, of Brampton, who works at the local leisure centre, was representing Temple Gym at Low Valley.
Gym owner Damian Brown said: “His win was quite an achievement when you take into consideration that it was his first competition.
“He’s now hoping to take part in the European championships in Belgium this weekend.
“He caused quite a stir in Holmfirth.
“The under 21 competitors are usually about ten stone and he was 14.
“Jaws dropped when people saw is overall physique.”
