A HOLYHEAD man has put out an SOS for a lost morse code message which played an important role in heralding the end of the First World War.

Trevor Williams is appealing for help to find the treasured Armistice message his father "Billy" William Evan Williams transcribed 100 years ago when he worked as a Wireless Telegraphist, morse code operator, in the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserves.

Trevor's father was the sub-postmaster of Church Terrace Post Office in Holyhead.

Back in 1916, he joined the RNVR aged 18, and after training was posted to the Mersey U-boat-hunting flotilla under the command of Captain, Gordon Campbell VC, DSO x 3.

In 1917/18, they were posted to Holyhead to stop the sinking of ships in the Irish sea.

On the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918 he was Wireless Telegraphist of the Watch, on Captain Campbell"s ship HMS Patrol, in Holyhead Breakwater Harbour

At 0630 hrs, he received a Morse Code message from the Eiffel Tower, saying war was to end at 11am.

He transcribed the message and the captain sent him ashore to inform the Holyhead Town Hall.

Trevor said: "As a local lad and sailor, our dad was thrilled, especially as Holyhead may have been one of the first places to hear the good news that the terrible war was over.

"He went back to his ship and was over the moon to be given the message as a memento. Another message, from King George V, at 0200 hrs on November 12, 1918, was also given to him.

Trevor's father died aged 63 in 1960. Trevor, who is now 87, and his twin brother John looked after the items until their 80th birthdays.

"Then we decided that we should take it to the Holyhead Maritime Museum but to be retrieved by us, framed with photos, on the 11th of the 11th this year, " said Trevor, who taught at the County School.

"We hoped to retrace our Dad's footsteps to the Town Hall and present it to the Mayor, a proud day for us." But his brother died before they could carry out their plan and the treasured message was lost.

He said "John is greatly missed, it was a bitter blow to the family. Secondly, the treasured Armistice message has gone missing. It's possibly in the museum somewhere. It is written on RN signal paper headed with No.S1322 CQ CQ, well-written in pencil, at the bottom, it has Date 11th, Time 0630 initials of W/T Operator W.E.Williams, it is 9 x11 inches. It may have had a different heading "for use in W/T and coding office only."

"Anyone who has helped in the museum would have known John. He was a great personality, a retired engineer on ships and an excellent yachtsman.

"If anyone saw or met John at the museum and may know the whereabouts of the signal, any information gratefully received." Contact 01407 764680.