Two returns with vastly different stories.

More great work from Bill.

By now most of you who follow our returns will be well aware that there are on an increasing number of occasions, many families that don’t wish their details to be released.

The following is two examples of both sides of the coin as it were.

George’s medal was one that arrived in a jiffy bag from the Victoria Police in June 2015. It has been a long search for his next of kin, in this case his sons. But when I finally found one of them the exchange went like this:

“No you can’t have one of my father’s war medals, we haven’t lost them in fact my brother who has them, wears them every ANZAC Day”

You can imagine how I felt at the time all that work and getting nowhere.

The rest of the story takes place a week later with a phone call from George’s son:

“Do you still have dad’s medal?”

“Yes” I replied.

“Oh that good it is Dad’s medal. My brother was burgled some years ago and Dad’s medals were taken. My brother went and got a set of replicas made up and has worn them ever since not telling anyone about the theft of the original medals”.

It was after some discussion of how I would send the medals back to the son, that I received the request to not publish any information that would identify the family.

The second story attracted some publicity and best explained at this link.

The returned medal tally is now 1808.