SEVERAL people have got in touch regarding Norman Petty’s postcard of boys in the sea at Overcombe near Weymouth (Shed light on mystery postcard, April 24).

Writing on the card in question alluded to a ‘disaster’ in or near Yeovil and it was addressed to a Ben Chaffey of Kingsbridge, Devon.

Terry Ansell believes that disaster referred to on the postcard is the train crash at Yeovil where a Swindon-bound train smashed into the back of a Weymouth to Waterloo train standing at the station and three people were killed in August 1913.

Sue Dodge, who also got in touch, said: “I'm not sure if this is anything to do with the disaster but as a child my father told me that two boys had drowned off Overcombe and that not to swim there as there were dangerous currents, and we never did. Dad was born here in 1909.

“I have spoken with a lady who can remember her father telling her about the two boys drowning at Overcombe. She like me was told never to swim there. She remembers the boys were two brothers, she thinks their surname was Dawe and they lived at Seven Acres Road in Preston. She cannot remember what year it was, but it was before the war. She also said that the beach shelved very deeply there.”

Sue Pendry also contacted us regarding the possible recipient of the postcard. She believes that Benjamin Chaffey was born in Okeford Fitzpaine in 1920 and died in Weymouth in 1971.

She adds: “Although it is nearer to Blandford than Yeovil, it is not that far in the scheme of things and would explain the Weymouth/Yeovil connections. Whether said gentleman ever owned or sailed a sloop I’m afraid records don’t show.

“This, however, is not the only puzzle linked to the postcard as the picture clearly shows the boys wearing swimming trunks and some quite skimpy ones at that. This is very much at odds with the 1913 date as at this time men were still wearing all-in-ones. I don’t think that trunks appear until the 1930s.”