If you knew Alexander Outridge Wilson, a former Exmouth Grammar School pupil, his son, Alec Wilson, from Leicestershire, is keen to hear from you because he is tracing the history of his dad.

The son of a former Exmouth Grammar School pupil is appealing for help tracing the history of his dad.

Alec Wilson, 60, from Leicestershire, is keen to hear from anyone who remembers his father, Alexander Outridge Wilson – also known as Alec or Alex – or his brother, John.

Mr Wilson said of his father: “Alec always retained his passion for playing the piano but also for researching and archiving football. “He became the best, possibly only, archivist and statistician for Exeter City Football Club.

“After his death in 1989 Exeter City, A Complete Record 1904-1990 was published by Breedon Books Sport. This book, part written by him, was a result of his forty odd years of research.

His grandsons took his copious volumes of Exeter City Football Club history and presented them to the club in 1990.”

Alexander was born November 27 1915 and lived at Stowey - 36, Withycombe Road - with his mother, Mary Wilson and younger brother John.

His dad died when Alec was four years old, and Mary kept the family together by running the family home as a seaside boarding house.

In 1940 Alec joined the Wiltshire Regiment but was soon posted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex.

He married Agnes Macinerney on January 12 1941 and the family believe she worked at Exmouth’s Park Hotel before her death in early 1942.

During this time Alec’s brother, John, joined the Royal Marines and was serving on North Atlantic convoys.

Later he was officially posted as missing in action but managed to send a Red Cross card home back to Exmouth to his mother, saying he had been captured.

After the war Alec met Gwen his second wife and they settled in Kettering, Northamptonshire

Alec’s mother, Mary Wilson, died in 1980 at the age of 93 and is buried in St Johns in The Wilderness churchyard, Exmouth.

Alec said: “Dad never really told me very much about the war. About a year ago I saw an article in our own local paper about a service that is held annually in a village called Somerby which is where the 10th Paras were stationed before the battle.

“The reporter who wrote the story put me in touch with John O’Reilly, who has written a very good book about the battle and the part played by his dad’s Battalion.

“John has been really helpful in my research culminating with him inviting us over to Arnhem this year for the 66th commemoration.”

• If you can help Alec, contact him on (01455) 552640.