MAJGEN James Durrant CMG DSO

This return is of a significant Australian medal group awarded to Major General James Murdoch Archer Durrant. Bill did some fantastic research to very quickly resolve this case. Here is Bill's story

Normally our searches begin with a lost medal or medals, they end when they are returned to the family. But rarely is that the whole story, rarely are those who are involved mentioned, our respect for the privacy of our team is to Lost Medals, paramount.

Major General James Murdoch Archer DURRANT, was an exceptional soldier, so was the search for his next of kin involving as it did the Victoria Police, the RSL and others.

Stolen from his grandson’s house, even though the medals show the after effects of being discarded in a park soon after they were stolen they are still a magnificent example of a great soldier’s service.

The Decorations and Medals in order are:

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (Separate)

Distinguished Service Order

1914-1915 Star

British War Medal
Victory Medal
War Medal 1939-45
Australian Service Medal 1939-1945
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
Order of the White Eagle - 4th Class (with swords) (Serbia)

As I said at the start of this story there were many people involved, each contributing is their own special way:
The anonymous finder of the medals.
Constable Kate MARTIN, who with the staff at Pakenham Police Station, were determined not to let the medals sit on a shelf in the lost property office, and all of whom took a personal interest in the search.
Susan HATTON a genealogist, without parallel.

Dean from the School of Signals (IS Branch)

But the story does not end there. It will end on Remembrance Day when James DURRANT's medals are returned to his grand daughter to be worn at the Watsonia RSL Remembrance Service. It is there that Part 2 of this story will be written, and the medals of a proud ANZAC that have been missing too long, will go 'home'.

MAJGEN Durrant also served during WWII.
The returned medal tally is now 1024.

 

Update 3 July 2012
The photos of MAJGEN Durrant's medals show how poor a condition they were in when they were found. We have recently been provided with a photo of medals after they have been cleaned up and remounted.