CAN ANYONE FILL IN THE MISSING PIECES?
DAVID WISHART TAKEN PRISONER BY THE EGYPTIANS - OCTOBER 1956
Ann was just a 10 year old schoolgirl, living with her parents, David & Hilda Wishart, and her 14 year old brother, Robert. Her father had retired from Liverpool City Police after 25 years and, in 1956 had joined the Suez Canal Company as Chief Fire Officer based in Kensington Village, Fayid.
David and all other male personnel were arrested at gunpoint by the Egyptian Military and taken to Port Said where they were imprisoned.
His wife, Hilda, and the children, Robert & Ann, were evacuated by seaplane from the Great Bitter Lake and flown to Malta with other wives and families to await transportation by the RAF to London. To Anne, at only 10 years old, all this was an adventure. She remembers the exciting sea plane journey and landing in Malta, staying in Gibraltar and the flight to London, where they stayed in what she believes was an Army camp in Richmond Park, Surrey. They were then sent on to Guest House accommodation in Buxton, Derbys before finally joining relatives back in Liverpool.
David finally was returned home on Christmas Eve, 1956. Wearing a red duffle coat and trousers (courtesy of the Red Cross) and supporting a rather long beard, Ann really did think Father Christmas had arrived. She remembers him being 'all skin and bone' and in very poor health.
Ann thinks that the Red Cross may have negotiated with the Egyptians for the exchange of prisoners but does not know if this is fact.
Can you help Ann fill in some of the missing pieces of what happened to her father. Sadly, both her parents are now dead and her brother seems to have 'blocked' this period from his memory. She only has two photos from that time - one of her father with his friends at "The Club" (wherever that may have been) and one of their house. Being only 10 years old, she was unaware of what was really going on but would love to know and so would her son.
Just what did happen to her Dad? Where was he imprisoned? and in what conditions? Who negotiated his release? How did he get back home? Is there any other prisoners out there who knew her Dad?
Ann said her Dad never ever spoke of this time but was never again in good health. Her Dad died in 1975, aged 64. She had tried all the usual channels (and some unusual) to find out more but has just come up against brick walls. She was recently introduced to The Canal Zoners by Laurence Uncles in Somerset and wonders if there is anyone amongst our members who may recall any part of what actually happened or even remembers transporting him and the other prisoners on their journey back to the U.K.