A CHANCE discovery of some old records has led to an Amport woman finding out about her long lost father who died 72 years ago.

Pamela Chilcott, aged 82, who lives in Sarson Close lost her father in 1943 when he was captured during the Second World War and died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

Her cousin’s daughter, Pauline Wiltshire, was working as a guide at Windsor Castle when she made the discovery about her father Arthur Radcliffe Wiltshire, also known as Jim (Jimmer) in a copy of the Wilts, Berks and Hants County Paper dated 25 June 1912.

The report is of a 12-year old Arthur (already known as Jim), of the Beaver (Amport) Patrol of Boy Scouts, being sent to Windsor Castle bearing a dispatch from the Marquis of Winchester.

Young Arthur was selected for his services due to being the ‘brightest and most trustworthy scout at his school’.

The article follows Arthur’s journey from Andover to Windsor Castle – a boy who ‘had lived his whole life in the little village and had done very little travelling’.

It also features comments from him about his adventure, including his description of the castle as being ‘a fine place’ .

Mrs Chilcott said she was delighted to find out more about the life of her father who died aged 43. “I said goodbye to him when I was eight and he died when I was 10,” she said. “I have lovely memories of him. He taught me how to ride a bicycle, he was great.

“ I remember he had a great singing voice, he would sing at the dances at the Amport hut, my Uncle Buff used to do the music and my dad would sing.

"It was fantastic to find new things out about what my dad did.”