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Icare9
20th Sep 2008, 12:44
Apologies Mods as it's not aviation related, but hope this counts as Good News!! from BBC website:
Scuba divers have recovered war medals lost by a veteran of the Dunkirk evacuation in World War II after they fell into the river Thames.
Charles Brown, 93, lost the medals last Sunday as he boarded a boat during the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships cruise from Kingston to Weybridge.
The two rows of medals included an OBE, a Dunkirk and Normandy campaign medal.
Divers from Teddington Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) found them soon after beginning their search.
Scuba divers began their fingertip search near Kingston Bridge at about 1100 BST on Saturday.
Earlier attempts to recover the medals with magnets proved unsuccessful.
Mr Brown lost the medals from the breast pocket of his jacket as he used his walking frame to board a boat near Kingston Bridge.
Earlier Mr Brown had said: "I really hope they find my medals because one of them is an OBE and they only give one of those out - there's no second medal if I lose it."
Malcolm Miatt, operations manager at Teddington RNLI, said: "Our divers found them almost immediately, there was no drama at all.
"The medals are a bit muddy and dirty and we'd like to get them cleaned up.
"The old guy is a hero and truly deserved to get his medals back, the RNLI is delighted to have cheered him up."
Mr Brown is on his way to be reunited with the medals.

PPRuNe Pop
20th Sep 2008, 12:47
No need to apologise but I will move it to the Mil forum, with a redirect so that everyone is automatically sent there.

Really good news that.

themightyimp
20th Sep 2008, 18:44
Glad that they were found!

Melchett01
20th Sep 2008, 19:41
Nice to see a good news story for once, especially with an old campaigner at its heart.

If those of currently serving think we have a rough time and are treated shabbily, it pales into insignificance with what the old boys have put up with over the years. So nice to see people willing to help out - I'd be gutted if I lost my medals that way.

call100
20th Sep 2008, 20:23
Read about this in the paper this morning, I felt so sorry for the chap. Delighted he has been reunited with them......Respect to the RNLI (even more than usual):ok:

Double Zero
20th Sep 2008, 20:28
Applause to the particular diver, and the RNLI. I certainly wouldn't fancy diving just there - though I might for a cause like this.

Stretch182
20th Sep 2008, 20:46
Well done to all concerned - if ever someone deserved things to all work out in the end - this was it!

mr fish
21st Sep 2008, 17:52
only a personal observation but having watched a couple of carbootycrapintheatticsendittoauction type progs over the years, i find what REALLY gets my back up is the excuses some people come up with to flog off hard won gongs.
ohhh, look mum, i'm on telly and can i get a couple of quid for this 'old junk' as the the kids don't play with it since uncle died etc etc.
what the hell is wrong with a box in the cupboard!!!!:(