One of my most enduring partnerships is with the Directorate of Honours and Awards. The staff will often receive medals from the public with a request to have them returned to the veteran. I'm more than happy to assist by doing the research to find either the veteran or their family. Donna B is one of the kind staff members who forwards me the lost medals they receive. She recently sent a package of several medals which included a WWII group of four medals awarded to S5325 Galvan Solomon Thompson, RAN.
Galvin married Lorna Mavis Goodwin but there is no evidence they had any children. Through an Ancestry family tree I've been able to contact Holly, a member of Galvan and Lorna's broader family. Holly will soon be passing the medals to the most appropriate family member to be the custodian.
The returned medal tally is now 2867. There are a few slightly interesting points about these medals. As was the RAN policy at the time, the stars were not name, however, the circular medals were. The group is mounted with the circular medals facing the wrong way. And these medals have been polished with Brasso, any soldier will recognise the white residue of dried Brasso that has filled the impressed naming.
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