WW2 Coldstream Guards medals

After the recent story about helping out the WA Police, I received a message from another staff member, Ed, who had a set of WW2 medals awarded to a solider from the Coldstream Guards. 

The soldier was Harry Harold Ealden. After service in WW2, Harry emigrated to Australia and died in 1990. The medals were left with Ed’s father who was President of the WA Guards Association. Ed’s father was a former Irish Guardsman.

Usually, WW2 medals awarded to British soldiers are difficult to research as they were issued unnamed. However, in this case the medals had Harry’s details on them. 

I found Harry’s great niece, Kate, via Ancestry and she has now been connected with Ed. 

Thanks Kate for the picture of Harry and thanks Ed for the research challenge. 

The returned medal tally is now 2756.

FTG Ford

There is not a lot to this story due to the limited amount of public records available from South Australia. I do know that SX40000 Frederick Thomas George Ford was born in 1924 and died on 24 November 1990. I couldn't find any evidence that he married but I did find him on an Ancestry family tree. The tree belongs to his nephew Len, a retired soldier. 

These medals came out of the RSL Care SA bag. The returned medal tally is now 2752.

Assistance to the SA Police

This is a week for helping out a couple for state police forces. This time the SA Police. 

There really isn't lot to tell about this return other that three contemporary medals were handed in and I was able to determine the serviceman was a member of the Royal Australian Navy. I put the police in contact with the the veteran and the medal will be returned.

The medals were the Australian Active Service Medal, The Afghanistan Medal and the Australian Defence Medal. Also with the group was the sailor's Returned from Active Service Badge. 

The returned medal tally is now 2748.

Assistance to the WA Police

This search started with a message from my research friend Sandra. The WA Police had posted a request to find the family of 3264 Arthur Vivian Smith so that his WWI Victory Medal could be returned to his family.

Arthur's service history is rather interesting as he originally enlisted into the 28th Battalion, AIF before transferring to the 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion. As part of my research of Arthur, I looked at his entry in the electoral rolls. As it turned out he was on the same page as my grandparents who also had the surname of Smith. 

I could not find any evidence that Arthur married or had children but I did find him on a tree which it turns out is owned by his great nephew. John has now been in touch with Tony from the WA Police and the medal has been retuned.

The returned medal tally is now 2744.

Medal returned live on radio

Not long after Anzac Day I received an email from Emelie, a producer for the 2GB Drive show with Jim Wilson. Jim had been contacted by a listener who had a WWII Pacific Star that was found amongst her possessions but did not belong to her family. The listener, Carol, was hopeful that the 2GB audience could help find the family of NX29664 Sapper Bernard O'Reilly. 

Emelie also put a post on social media which my mate Grahame M saw and passed my details to Emelie. It took a couple of hours to work out that Bernard died in 1979. He had a son, also named Bernard, but know as Bernie, but he died in 2019.

Bernie's death notice gave me the contact details for the funeral director which I provided to Emelie and from there things moved pretty fast.

Yesterday Bernard's Pacific Star was handed back to his family live on air:

'You're going home!': Emotional in-studio moment as lost WWII medal is reunited with family - 2GB - Sydney's premier news and talk radio station

It was great working with Emelie on this return. Thanks to Grahame for the referral which got this all rolling.

The returned medal tally is no 2743.

Contemporary medals returned

This return is quite unusual as I don't see that many contemporary medals that become lost. These medals were found at a charity shop then sent to the Directorate of Honours and Awards. I have a great relationship with the Honours and Awards staff and try to help them as much as possible. 

It took me a bit of time to work out how to contact Bob whose was awarded these medal but luckily he responded to a message I sent him. Bob told me he was also awarded two other medals in addition to the AASM, the Afghanistan Medal and the ADM. It is a bit of a mystery why they aren't all together. 

The retuned medal tally is now 2742.