THESE vintage images hold a mystery a family thousands of miles away are hoping readers will be able to help them solve.

They were found in the belongings of an American serviceman based at Boxted during the Second World War and his daughter is hoping someone will recognise the lady featured in them.

Richard Turner, chairman of the group which now looks after the airfield, says the airman was Lenice Lee Marshall.

He is helping Lenice’s daughter, Nancy, who wants to track down the family the airman befriended in Colchester.

Richard says : “In letters home he makes several reference to a family that were kind to him, no name was ever mentioned.”

He explains Lenice has now sadly died but his daughter found the collection of photographs and read about them in his letters and she now would like to get in touch with them to thank them for their kindness.

Lenice was a Bombardier on the Marauder aircraft and would have been in the area from around June 1943 until the end of 1944.

After service at Boxted Lenice, originally from Grenville, Georgia, transferred to Dunmow.

He would have been about 24-years-old and was among thousands of American airman brought over at that time.

Richard explains: “Nancy thinks Lenice had a relationship with this lady, she could have been the daughter of the family, and they may even have intended to marry,” says Richard.

But Lenice was called home on leave and whilst there met the lady who would become his wife.

“There is every chance someone will recognise the lady, she looks quite young there, perhaps 20, so she could still be alive, or her children or grandchildren might recognise her.”

Contact Richard on 07503952354 or 01206 508186 if you can help.