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Quite a bit of mental gymnastics were needed to get to a solution with this search.
This Australian Defence Medal came to me via the wonderful team at the Joint Military Police Station - Sydney. LS EB was handed this medal on Anzac Day from a member of the public with a request for the medal to be returned.
The ADM was awarded to A111905 PB Carey. All I could determine from these details was that Carey was in the RAAF and from Queensland. This is determined by the A (Airman) and 1 (Queensland). Unfortunately, I was unable to find any clues as to what the initials PB stood for. His name or number isn't on Trove or the Vietnam War and Nasho's nominal rolls. Other research resources like BDM records and death notices provided any clues.
The more I searched the more I ended up going around in circles. My first thought tangent was to narrow down the time period Carey served. I found the individual with the service number immediately after Carey's served during the Vietnam War. From this I concluded Carey had enlisted in the late 1960s.
To my surprise there are a large number of people named Carey in the Australian Electoral rolls. Not having the full name caused several hours of scrolling through Ancestry elimination names like Peter or Paul. Eventually I got to Patrick and found a Patrick Bernard. There is one electoral roll entry from 1968 listing Patrick Bernard Carey with a residential address at RAAF Townsville.
This had to be my man but after 1968 the leads got messy again. From 1972 onwards there are two separate men by this name in the electoral rolls; one living in Sydney the other in Melbourne. There was no way to determine who was who. The Sydney based Patrick died in 2016. The death notices indicated he was an academic and had died in the UK but there was no mention of RAAF service.
I sent a message to the tree owner and this was the correct PB Carey I was looking for. Partrick's widow and children are still alive, I'll post them the medal in the near future.
Thank you to LS EB. Also, thank you to Bill F, Patrick's first cousin who has connected me with Patrick's family.
The returned medal tally is now 2935.
I'm sure this story will strike a cord with my RAInf friends.
Jason Lindgren was a rifleman with 2 RAR when his battalion deployed to East Timor in September 1999. He discharged in the early 2010s. What is significant about this family is that Jason's father also served in the Royal Australian Regiment, as has his four brothers. Sadly, Jason died in September 2023.
Somehow, Jason's INTEFET medal, along with some other personal items, became lost in the mail. The medal eventually found its way to me. It was a bit of a circuitous route to find Jason's brother who put me in touch with his father.
I spoke to Mr Lindgren this morning and it is going to be such a pleasure to post this medal back to Jason's family.
The returned medal tally is now 2934.
As soon as I saw service number of this solider, it didn't surprise me the reverse of stars in this medal group were un-named. Individuals who enlisted in the early months of WWII were awarded the stars they were entitled as soon as they became available. The stars did not include the service details on the reverse. However, the medals were named on issue. Following WWII, the soldiers who received the un-named medals were offered the choice to retain their stars as they were or return them and have their service details impressed.
These five medals were awarded to QX196 Thomas Foster. A very early enlistee from Queensland.
When he enlisted Thomas was married to Ivy Evelyn (nee Raper) and his service records they had two children. Thomas died in 1966 and Ivy in the 1989.
Their daughter was Ivy June who married Henry Ivan Tebbutt. This is a reasonably uncommon surname and I quickly found this family on several Ancestry tree. One of the children is named Grant but I just couldn't find his contact details. I sent a message one tree owner who kindle passed my request to Sharyn, a cousin of Grant's. Sharyn gave me some great family history background. She also made a comment that she recalled Grant worked for Defence. This was the clue I needed. I was able to track down Grant and we spoke today. The Tebbutt family has a strong history of service to Australia. Grant's father was a located at Gallipoli Barracks during WWII as part of the administration staff for the POW camp. He then went on to be the Staff Officer Grade 3 Training at1 MD. Grant's uncle Stan was a wireless operator in the RAAF and survived being shot down.
Thank you to Del who sent me the medals. Also, thanks to Amanda, Treval and Sharyn for all your assistance. The returned medal tally is now 2938.
Shortly after I posted the story of Jackie Trotter, I received an message from Dan J which read:
Hi Glyn, Great story about Trotter. I have his 1939-45 War Medal if you want to return it to Geoff to go alongside his 1939-45 Star. Thanks, Dan
I have been in contact with Dan for a year or so as I research some other medals he has sent me. I just couldn't believe the coincidence that he had read a story I posted and had another medal to the same solider.
This medal, along with Trotter's 1939-45 Star, will soon be sent to his nephew Geoff.
The returned medal tally is now 2933.
I recently received a message from Neil L a retired Royal Australian Navy veteran who had several medals he was keen to have returned to families. Neil sent me the medals and this is the first return.
This 1939-45 Star was awarded to VX139799 John William Trotter. My research led me to an Ancestry family tree and within 12 hours of sending a message to the tree owner I was speaking to John's nephew, Geoff. Since that discussion, Geoff has kindly sent me two photos. The first is of John, known as Jackie, as a boy and the second is a description of Jackie's war service which has far more detail than I could distill from his service record.
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After the war, Jackie married Thelma and they settled in South Australia. Jackie died on 21 Dec 67.
Geoff has maintained a connection with Jackie's unit association and he will have Jackie's medal in time for this year's Anzac Day parade.
The returned medal tally is now 2932.
