Owen Scholes

When Bill sent me this story he prefaced it with: ‘this is an odd one’.

We are all familiar with mail that goes astray. But how the medals of N205912 Lance Corporal Owen Geoffrey Scholes, posted in NSW, by Owen’s wife, Mary to her grandson also in NSW, ended up in South Australia, is a mystery. Neither Carol Foster of the South Australian RSL, Owen’s family nor I have any idea want went wrong with the post.

What is important, is that Carol stepped up and rather than leave them in a box in a drawer where things that are too hard are often consigned, she chose to do something about it. It has taken over two years to finally re-unite Owen’s medals with his family.

But today the process to unite the family with ‘Dad’s’ medals began. It all started with the following words in an email:

‘Carol, say hello to Margaret the daughter of Owen and Mary Scholes.

Margaret, say hello to Carol Foster, the SA RSL, Sub-Branch Liaison Officer, and to whom you family owes a debt of gratitude, for it was Carol who stepped up. And with whom I have had the honour of working with to return your father’s medals’.

The returned medal tally is now 2087.