Modern Australian Medals

When I opened an email the other night I was rather surprised at the medals that had been found thrown in a skip bin. They are the Australian Defence Medal and the Australian Sports Medal. The skip bin business owner passed the medals to former ABETP Jason M who then contacted me.
While the box for the ADM gave the name and service number of the soldier this was a bit of a false lead as the ADF has changed its personnel numbering system since this man served.
A search of the old service numbers didn't give us any clues so I checked it'sanhonour for the list of Australian Sports Medal recipients. I found that John Bown had received this medal. This was the clue we needed and part time researcher Dave C was able to work out that were were looking for John Charles Bown. Dave also found out that John served with SASR. Through the 1990s and 2000s John worked with a couple of city councils and was well know in ALF circles. Unfortunately, John died in 2009. A road is named in his honour in Floreat, WA.
Once I had John's full name and date of death I was able to use a process of elimination to work out his son is David Bown. I was able to contact David today and connect him with James so that the medals can be returned.
Thanks Jason as well as Mark and Cathy Terry from Cheapa Skips, Crompton Rd Rockingham. Also thanks to Dave C from my office.
The returned medal tally is now 1749.