Something about the letters I'd read from Andy Hollinger was ringing bells. I pulled them out of my file, stuck the kettle on and settled down at the kitchen table.

Outside, the rain pelted down and the kids next door were playing Franz Ferdinand at top volume. I mean IMPERIAL measures of decibels.

I rose, shut the window and scooped a couple of instant coffee measures into the super-sized Spiderman mug which some clampit had bought me the Christmas before. It served its purpose well and I'd recommend all dedicated coffee addicts purchase one.

But that's enough about my bad habits.

It was staring me in the face. Hollinger had mentioned he'd taken over as servant to Hartley from 'old Tom Morgan' .... chalk one up for Des.

Yup. It was the same guy I had been thinking of.

Seems old Tom wasn't that old. But he must have looked like an ancient mariner to the 19 and 20 years olds in the trenches.

I hit the net and slapped the name on google.

There it was:-

Thomas Morgan Military History Books

(Formerly Eastlough Publications)

Formed in 1924 by a former schoolteacher, Tom Morgan Military History Books began as a bookshop in the north midlands town of Mudcaster. Tom Morgan, who had served in the First World War, at first specialised in second hand books for a population which was rapidly expanding its educational horizons.

In later years, the firm, which by the late 1940s had a chain of shops throughout the north, combined with the specialist publishers, Eastlough Publications, to present an unrivalled mail-order service for military history books.

In recent years, the firm has established a worldwide reputation for quality, variety and service and thanks to online marketing has secured a leading role in this highly specialised field.

In this game, you get used to sending a message to 'contact us' addresses which never receive a reply. I must admit I did hold out a little more hope with Morgan's, they'd sorted me for a few hard to get volumes in the past.