10 January 2009

An overdue update

Since June 08 I have been very busy with a couple of ADF related activities and I have not posted as regularly as I would have liked. However, Lost Medals Australia has been very active. Since the last post a further 17 medals have been returned. This post will bring everything up to date.
In October, Scott was a crucial link between the Directorate of Honours and Awards and the family of Bombardier Jack Grimm and assisted in returning a WWII group of 5.
The next medal returned was a South Vietnam medal awarded to 15518 SGT James Dempsey. This medal was returned to his sister.
We seem to have had a run of luck with Vietnam War medals. The next two that were returned were to 43436 PTE Anthony Rowe. Rowe served with 709 Signal Troop and survived his tour in Vietnam only to be tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident shortly upon his RTA.


Bill is responsible for the research on the last two entries as well as locating the sister of VX106770 Charles Clifford Smith. This return saw a WWII group of four sent back to the family. Interesting to note that the naming on the medal rim has C.C.C. Smith rather than C.C. Smith.

Once again Bill came good with the next return, this time to the widow of VX11338 J.A. O'Donohue.
The next two returns are as a direct result of people searching the Internet and coming across medals we have listed on the Lost Medals Australia web site. The first was to WOII Robert Anderson. The medals are featured on the 19 May 08 entry below. I was contacted by a cousin of Balfour and have returned the medals. These medals are well travelled. Anderson was from VIC, the medals came to me from WA and the family is in QLD.
The next pair is to 4204 PTE Albert Rutherford. These medals will be returned to Rutherford's nephew.


Recently, both the Lost Medals Australia website and this blog have received a high volume of hits. This has resulted in many requests for assistance. I anticipate that in the near future there will be several groups, including a WWII MM being sent to me. The last thing to say at this point is that Lost Medals Australia has now returned 417 medals.

1 comment:

  1. Well done to the three of you. You all do Australia proud.

    Bright Blessings
    Sandra

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