Dollman - General Service Medal

Kenyon James Dollman served in the militia during WWII as Q203259, he later went on to serve in the RAAF as A11511 and was awarded a General Service Medal.
A lot of research for this case was done by our friends at the Australian Surname Group. Here is the thread that discusses this search.
The returned medal tally is now 797 and these are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Vietnam War pair

The Vietnam War pair awarded to 2784501 John Anthony Fernandes came from the NSW RSL box. Fernandes served as a Gunner with 4th Field Regiment through 1967 to 1968. These medals will be returned to John's niece.
The medal returned tally is now 796.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

WWII group to RAAF

One of the sets we returned from the NSW box is to the NOK of 6145 Augustus Charles Fraser taking the returned medal tally to 794.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Holmes

266462 Percy Frederic Holmes served in the RAAF during WWII with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. These medals will be returned to his niece.
The returned medal tally is now 791 and these are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.
The medals also come with several other sports medals belonging to Holmes.

Lost medals to brothers in law

One of the surprises that has come out of the NSW RSL box is that two lots of medals were awarded to NX59062 Edward William Butt and his brother in law 66682 Ernest James Arnold.
Information we have from the family is that they didn't know that either man was entitled to any medals so we suspect they have been lost for many years.
The returned medal tally is now 786.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Baltzarsen

I thought that with a name like QX13604 William James Lloyd Baltzarsen this chap would be esay to find but it proved quite difficult. This is what Bill wrote to me:
"One of the problems with the search has been the fact that William, was actually christened Wilhelm after his father, and that after WW2, he changed his name from BALTZARSEN to BALTERSEN."
This WWII group of five will be returned to Baltzarsen's niece.
The returned medal tally is now 782 and these are from the NSW box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.
These medals are in mint condition. They have come to me in the original packaging as addressed following the war. It is very uncommon to see a set of medals in this condition. Also the stars have been engraved which is also uncommon for Army medals.

Patrick Bernard Lane

NX 172739 Patrick Bernard Lane served in the militia and later the 2nd AIF. This is shown by his two service numbers NX172739 and N460696. His unit on discharge was 1 Water Transport. From the family we know that some years ago Patrick loaned his medals to a friend but they were never returned. Now the War Medal is going back to the family.
The returned medal tally is now 777 and this medal is from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Vietnam Campaign Medal - Hopper

The Vietnam Campaign Medal awarded to 2161652 Robert Anthony Hopper will be returned to his son. After it was lost Mr Hopper applied for an official duplicate and a close inspection of the medals that his son holds show the campaign medal stamped with a 'D'.
The returned medal tally is now 776 and this medal is from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Ronald Bryce Marks

Understandably, the majority of medals we deal with are from WWI and WWII. Every so often we receive contemporary medals This one is the Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 awarded to Ronald Bryce Marks for service in Vietnam. Ron was a National Serviceman and he believes he lost this medal on Anzac Day.
The the returned medal tally is now 775 and this is from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

NX8141 Stanley Peyton

NX8141 Stanley Peyton was a private soldier from NSW. His posting on discharge in 1945 was 103rd Australian General Hospital. He proved rather difficult to track down but Bill was equal to the task. Through his research Bill located Stanley's great nephew. Bill has a strong suspicion that the medals have been adrift from the family since Stanley died in 1962.
The family has a strong service history. Stanley's uncle was KIA at Lone Pine in 1915. His name was Henry Young.
The returned medal tally is 774 and these are form the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

An amazing coincidence

I’ve often mentioned the great assistance we receive from the team of the Australian Surname Group or 'Yuku' from the web host name. Well this story is a bit closer to home for this group than normal.
We were searching for the family of NX150120 Herbert John MacDonald and Bill put a post on Yuku. The usual search process occurred and Bill received some great information to later use for searching through the electoral rolls. One of the clues was that Herbert’s son was named Robert. Then like a bolt from the blue one of the other Yuku team posts that Robert, or Bob, is the husband of her best friend. What a stunning coincidence. Here is the discussion thread on Yuku. Thank you very much to the Australian Surname Group for once again assisting us.
The medal returned tally is now 771 and yes these were out of the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Bert Collins Locke

Bert Collins Locke had two periods of service during WWII. Firstly, as QX9765 in the 2nd AIF. He was discharged as medically unfit in Oct 1940. Secondly, in the militia as Q391. He served through to 1945 including in the islands.
Unfortunately, Bert was estranged form his family for over 30 years and they were only reunited 19 months before Bert died.
The returned medal tally is now 767 and these are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.
These medals are a copy set as can be seen stamped on the reverse of the stars.

Bruce Arthur Shaw

The search NX68272 Bruce Arthur Shaw has proved to be very successful. Bill has located Mr Shaw and established that Mr Shaw lost his medals some years ago. He has received a duplicate copy but we are able to return his original medals. On top of that Mr Shaw is on line and we have been in contact with him via email
The returned medals tally is now 763 and these are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

James Robert Allen

The search for VX74091 James Robert Allen was a complicated one but Bill was equal to the task. In the end it was through the funeral directors who conducted the burial service for James that we were able to contact James' son Kevin.
We have been told that about 14 years ago the medals were given to a nephew who was serving in the RAN. All subsequent attempts by the family to find this nephew came to nothing and they eventually gave up.
The medals were found on Anzac Day 2005 at the Orient Hotel in the Rocks. The lady who found then forwarded them to the RSL and they eventually came to me.
The returned medal tally is now 759.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

Western Australia Female WWII Group of 2

WF45971 Myrtle Anges Grace Easton served in HQ Western Command durning WWII. I could find very little information about her, I even visited her burial site at Karrakatta Cemetery hoping the head stone might give me some clues but there was nothing.
The search was resolved when Myrtle's niece came across the entry on our website and sent me an email. I now know that Myrtle never married and it is thought that the medals went missing following a house break in.
For Anne and Kim, I'm so glad that this all happened on Remembrance Day.
The returned medal tally is now 756.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.
These medals have had a very hard life.

Alfred McMurtrie

NX170869 Alfred George McMurtrie served as an infantry soldier during WWII. We are told by his family that they last saw these medals when they were taken to Anzac House in Sydney to be mounted. These medals came to me from Anzac House so they may well have been there for the 44 years they have been missing.
The returned medal tally is now 754.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

RAAF WWII Group

The WWII group of five awarded to 32069 CPL Francis Parnell McMahon were lost many years ago on a train from Sydney to Hornsby after an Anzac Day celebration. Mr McMahon did receive an official replacement group but now the originals will be returned to his family.
The returned medal tally is now 751 and these medals are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

WWII Australian Army Nursing Service group

Over the years we have had several lost medal groups to women. However, this group to NFX138781 Isabel Mary Woodgate is one of the very few WWII nursing groups we have dealt with. Woodgate served as a Lieutenant in the AANS and the medals will be returned to her niece.
The returned medal tally is now 746 and these medals are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.

David Owen Edwards

NX38990 David Owen Edwards WWII service was as a Sapper with a Construction Company. He was a little difficult to track down but Bill did a wonderful job locating one of his two sons. Edward's WWII group of five will be returned to the family in the near future.
The medal returned tally is now 743 and these medals are from the NSW RSL box.

Update on 8 May 11 - photos added.
These medals are in their box of issue and have rarely been removed. I've only taken a photo of the first medal so that the rest stay as they were sent to me.

Alan Barton WWII

VX2969 LT Alan James Barton is a bit of an unknown quantity for us. There is limited information on him. From the WWII nominal roll we know he was from Kew in Melbourne, however, his medals came to me from SA but the closest family link Bill could find is in Tasmania.
The medals that will be returned are the War Medal, The Defence Medal and the Australian Service Medal 39-46. Fay from SA needs to be congratulated for wanting to see these medals returned in the first place.
The medal returned tally is now 738.
Update on 4 Jun 11 - photos added.