Defence chiefs are trying to trace the family of a York soldier killed in action during the Second World War.

Sergeant Alfred Emmerson, of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, died in Italy on May 22, 1944, aged only 20.

He is one of 24 British soldiers whose relatives are being sought by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a bid to return personal papers seized by the Germans and, later, the Russians.

The soldiers' documents fell into German hands, mostly when individuals, or posts holding the paperwork ,were captured.

At the end of the war in Europe, they were among the mass of German papers captured by advancing Soviet forces when they took Berlin.

The documents, mostly Army paybooks, were then moved to Moscow where they sat gathering dust.

As the Cold War ended, and Moscow began to open doors to the West, the MoD learned of the seized papers. When Tony Blair visited Moscow, in 1997, copies of the papers were handed to him.

Following negotiations, the original documents were then passed to Foreign Secretary Robin Cook in July last year.

Sgt Emmerson, who is buried at the Beach Head War Cemetery in Anzio, was born on June 12, 1923. He was the son of Arthur and Louie Emmerson and the husband of Irene May Emmerson, of York. The couple had a daughter, Valerie, who was born in April 1944, and the MoD is hoping she or other relatives will come forward to be reunited with her father's paybook.

* Anyone who can help to trace Sgt Emmerson's living relatives should call Tony Tierney at the Evening Press on 01904 653051, extension 306, or e-mail him on tony.tierney@ycp.co.uk