SIR - My name is Michael Knight and I live in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia.

I have been searching for old comrades from the British Army, and I recently found the following article:

'A soldier has been honoured for exceptional service to the army for more than 40 years. Gordon Hardaker, 61, of Holyoak Avenue, Bingley, was awarded the Lord Lieutenant High Honour - which ranks immediately below an MBE - in recognition of years of dedicated service to the Territorial Army.

Staff Sergeant Hardaker left Bradford to join the army on a Junior Leader Course in Newton Abbot when he was just 15. He served in the regular army for 25 years, spending a number of years in Germany, and has been on the permanent staff of the 34 Royal Signals Territorial Army in Carlton Barracks, Leeds, for the last 34 years. He said: "Being in the army is a way of life more that a job and I have enjoyed it immensely".'

Gordon and I were pals whilst in the Junior Leaders Regiment in Newton Abbot from Jan 1959 to late 1960, we spent some leaves together, and we went our separate ways.

I would be delighted to get in touch with Gordon and this is the only item I have found that provides a window of hope of doing this.

The photograph, taken in 1960, shows Gordon centre row, fourth from right, and me centre row far left.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted by email at mknight@mendi.com.au

Michael Knight, Ex Royal Corps of Signals, Tonsville, Australia