A family group

This return is unusual in several ways. The medals are to WF45520 Jessie Ellen Wallace and WX37834 David Ross Winsor. They came to me mounted as groups ready to wear. It took a bit to work out that Jessie and David were married which is the first married couple I've had medals to.
The second unusual thing was the condition of the medals. They are in mint condition. I had recently been reading the book 'Australians Awarded' by Clive Johnson and I came across a comment about different types of the Defence Medal and the Australian Service Medal. I hadn't realised that there were later productions due to the original production run having been all used up. The original type had the designers initials under the King's head. The later types had no initials. Also medals issued after 1992 were named using pantograph rather than being impressed. So these medals have no initial and named in pantograph. There is no 'D' to indicate they are officially issued duplicates. From all this I believe they are late issue medals.



Medal returned tally is 514.

A local return

I was recently sent a Vietnam War Campaign awarded to 6709604 Douglas Robert Kilpatrick. He served with 2nd Advanced Ordnance Depot. I had a bit of trouble tracking him down however, the key was a electoral roll entry that Bill found. This lead was exactly right and I spoke to Doug today. I'll return his medal in the very near future and since he and I live in the same city, I do this return in person. The medal returned tally is now 509.

5163 PTE Fredrick Pearson

The BWM awarded to 5163 PTE Fredrick Pearson was sent to me almost 2 years ago. Pearson was a bit of a lad and got in to a bit of trouble. He was also wounded on several occasions. His service record is pretty interesting. Returned medal tally is 508.

Gilpin

In April, I received the WWII group of four awarded to NX108259 Keith Lyall Gilpin. These medals are in mint condition, they have never been mounted or worn. This brings to 507 the number of medals that Lost Medals Australia has returned.

WOFF Braid

It is a real privilege to return medals to a veteran who is still alive. In this case the veteran is RAAF WOFF 32531 Donald Nicol Braid. I had a great chat with him last night and very soon I'll be sending him two of his WWII medals.

The returned medal tally is 503.

2646 PTE W.V. Flanagan

This medal has had a pretty tough life. 2646 PTE William Vincent Flanagan was KIA on 7 Jun 1917 (92 years ago tomorrow) and the medal was sent to his mother. The medal has lost its suspender and is rather dented. I've had it for about 8 years so where it has been during the intervening period is anyone's guess. This is medal number 501 returned by Lost Medals Australia.

Number 500

Today Lost Medals Australia has reached a significant milestone. The return of the WWI BWM to the family of 3265 Frank Freer Connors is the 500th medal that has been returned by Lost Medals Australia.

Leonard Edward Foster

I have had the medals awarded to Leonard Edward Forster for over five years, so the resolution of this search is very satisfying. Once again, Bill is to be congratulated on putting all the pieces in place. This takes the tally to 499 medals returned.