Veteran loses his medals

[NutLoose]

If anyone can help or hears of them, someone will be happy to see them back

Bomber Command veteran loses medals on way to memorial event - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-34427942)

[Melchett01]

Fingers crossed for a successful outcome - posted on FB with a hope a few Lincs chums will be able to spread the word.

[The B Word]

Oh dear, how sad to lose his medals on the way to the unveiling of such an awful memorial. Having seen it I suspect the poor Veteran wished he hadn't bothered!

[Tankertrashnav]

And my brother says read the info on posting photos glad rag, particularly on max sizes, so you dont bugger the whole page up :*

Back to the matter in hand. For this gentleman, and anybody else for that matter, here is a link to how to claim lost medals:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-veterans-badge/replace-a-medal-or-badge

A couple of points - there is no automatic right to have lost medals replaced. This is to stop people flogging their medals and immediately claiming replacements (I have experienced this when I was in the medal trade). However I dont think this gentleman is going to have any trouble along those lines. Secondly the replacements arent free, no matter how worthy the recipient but personal effects insurance should cover the charge.

Lets hope they turn up, although experience tells me this isn't likely. An unnamed group of WW2 stars and medals can easily be broken up and the individual medals sold - the Aircrew Europe Star is currently worth around £250 so it's an attractive target for an opportunist thief. Good luck to him anyway.

[glad rag]

Yes and it was big for a reason bugger lugs!

[Tankertrashnav]

Thank you - I now don't have to scroll left and right to read the posts :ok:

[Ivan Rogov]

I can't believe that a thread whinging about the efforts of a great many people to honour the bravery of so many is getting more coverage than this on Pprune. Rather than bleat about what you like or dislike (which no one cares about!) why not try and help this fine gentleman find his medals https://www.facebook.com/RAFWaddington/videos/947248365334697/.

Social Media is all to often used for negative effect, however it is a very powerful tool and can also have a positive effect. We all take an interest in aviation and therefore know these medals are missing, but despite good media coverage I suspect the majority of the country do not.

Please share any of the links with as many people as you can

Veteran who lost medals makes emotional plea for their safe return | Lincolnshire Echo (http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Veteran-lost-medals-makes-emotional-plea-safe/story-27919377-detail/story.html)

https://www.facebook.com/RAFWaddington/videos/947248365334697/

Renewed appeal for Bomber Command veteran's lost medals - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-34442555)

Search for 93-year-old Bomber Command veteran's lost medals - ITV News (http://www.itv.com/news/2015-10-02/search-for-93-year-old-bomber-command-veterans-lost-medals/)

[Tankertrashnav]

Shared on Facebook.

[TEEEJ]

Medals lost by a World War Two veteran have been handed in to a police station following an extensive week-long search.

Donald Nicholson, 93, said he was "devastated" when he realised the medals were missing a week ago.

He initially thought he lost them on the way to the unveiling of a Bomber Command memorial in Lincoln, or when he arrived at the event.

But the medals were handed in to his local police station in Tyne and Wear.
He now believes he dropped them when he was getting into a car as he left his home.

WW2 veterans medals found after week-long search - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34489126)

[Shack37]

Excellent news. Great to hear. Thanks for posting TEEEJ:ok:

[TEEEJ]

No problem, Shack37. It is great news! Donald was interviewed on regional news and was so distraught he was having sleepless nights and off his food. Well done to all that turned up to search the field in Lincoln. Well done to the person that handed in the medals. :ok:


The volunteers also took to searching for a lost caterpillar pin belonging to veteran Daniel Nash. ......

Volunteers did uncover pieces of historic agriculture, pottery and a piece of material thought to be the skin of a Lancaster plane.

RAF Cranwell Chef Brad Williamson discovered the possible Lancaster skin.

He said: “We came to try to find the medals for Mr Nicholson. We were on the field for around 15 minutes or so when we can across some aircraft skin and a few agricultural bits.

“There was a Lancaster which crashed just across the road during the war, so we can only presume that it’s come from that.


Veteran's medals found over 100 miles from major search at Lincoln Bomber Command memorial site - The Lincolnite (http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2015/10/veterans-medals-found-over-100-miles-from-major-lincoln-memorial-search/)

[Wensleydale]

There were a couple of Lancaster Mid-air collisions that came down near the memorial site - it could have been from one of those. The prime candidate is from 20/21 December 42 when a Lancaster from 44 Sqn collided with a Lancaster from 9 Sqn (both after t/o from Waddington) with the wreckage reported as falling on Canwick road.

[Heathrow Harry]

he's lucky - our local police aren't interested in lost & stolen goods handed in........... unless.............


there's a meeja angle.............

[Tankertrashnav]

Excellent news!

Re handing in found items. As HH points out, in general the police aren't interested any more. Even if you did try to hand something in, your problem in many areas would be to find a police station with a front desk open for public enquiries. There are now only four such stations in Cornwall to cover the whole county, meaning for some people a 50 mile round trip. The myth of the local cop shop is perpetuated by TV police dramas where there is always a local station, with a desk manned by a friendly sergeant (in fact replaced by a civvie decades ago).

Anyway, I can see I'm off on a JetBlast rant, so I'll just repeat - glad this gentleman and his medals have been reunited.

[Whenurhappy]

Except where I now live we have two policemen at the entrance of the apartment block. One of them kindly returned my ID card the other day - I'd dropped it getting out of a taxi near the entrance. But as you guessed, this isn't Britain. In our village in Cumbria, the County sold off the police station and Magistrates Court and now it's a Weatherspoons. Closest manned station - about 20 miles away, although a PCSO does share a broom cupboard in the Crapita-run council offices nearby.

[sunshine band]

I was lucky enough to be invited today to the Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial for a special flypast of the Lancaster in salute of Donald Nicholson, the 93 year-old WW2 veteran who lost his medals a few weeks ago at the official unveiling of the Memorial. He wanted to wear them at the Memorial, and the Lancaster, who was unserviceable and unable to fly also missed the ceremony. Today finally brought the Lancaster, Memorial, Donald and his medals together. It was a pleasure to be part of his special day!

https://www.polaroidblipfoto.com/entry/2101005490111645791

[Ivan Rogov]

https://audioboom.com/boos/3689283-the-moment-donald-saw-the-lancaster-with-his-medals-it-s-a-tearjerker?utm_campaign=detailpage&utm_content=retweet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bbclincolnshire/videos/10153305319364403/

https://www.facebook.com/RAFConingsby/videos/1503020996661841/

:ok:

P.S. Welcome back PA474!