Latest news with #DefenceMedal
Edinburgh Live
03-07-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Antiques Roadshow guest exclaims 'Jeez' at true value of grandad's treasured war medals
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Antiques Roadshow guest couldn't stop beaming when he discvoered the hefty value of his grandad's Second World War medals. BBC expert Graham Lay was at Durham Cathedral to scrutinise a range of cherished belongings, including a set of RAF medals brought in by a younger visitor. Lay kicked off the conversation with: "You've got a very interesting collection of RAF memorabilia here but what's a young man like you doing with it?" The guest explained: "Well these were my grandad's medals. When he died in 1989, they were left to my grandmother and when she passed away, they were passed on to me and that's why I've brought them here today." He also shared a bit about his grandfather's wartime experience, noting he had to "lie about his age" since he was only 17 in 1939. Delving deeper into his grandad's role, he said: "He was a navigator, so basically co-ordinating the attacks over Germany. "He amusingly couldn't find his way to South Shields but he could navigate over the east. He always used to fight with my grandma." With a chuckle, Lay responded: "Isn't that funny. And he was a very, very young man", prompting the guest to chime in: "Yeah no older than me." The expert then pondered on the thought: "If you'd gone back to the Second World War, you could have been flying in bombers like your grandfather at your age. How does that make you feel?" (Image: BBC) "An overwhelming sense of pride to be honest, because my grandad went away not knowing if he was coming back the next day," the guest revealed. "And what we take for granted here is what they did." Alongside a logbook documenting all the missions his grandfather had completed, the young visitor also brought along a Distinguished Flying Cross. He explained: "Well I'm led to believe he only meant to do like a certain amount of missions ranging in the 20s but he did a lot more than that, maybe double the amount of missions you're meant to do. "So he maybe did 60 or so missions," Lay noted. "That's astounding. He didn't have to, he could have gone on to train others you see, having done his required number. "But a lot of servicemen, a lot of air crew did actually continue and sadly, of course, many of them perished but he didn't. He carried on through the war." Examining the medals more closely, the expert identified them as the Air Crew Europe, the 1939-1945 Star and the War Medal. However, with only three medals accompanying four ribbons, the owner suspected one might be missing. Lay clarified: "This is the Defence Medal ribbon, so somewhere there is a Defence Medal but the good news is you can buy Defence Medals from medal dealers. (Image: BBC) "You can find them, not everywhere, but they're very common medals. "They're not named either like First World War medals are so you can easily find one and makeup the complete set." The guest on Antiques Roadshow was in for a surprise as he presented medals, a log book, a navigator badge, and a cap badge, all once belonging to his grandfather. A photograph of the grandad showcased these items, prompting expert Lay to observe, "And actually, if you don't mind me saying so, you look very similar to your grandfather. The eyes are remarkable." The guest, clearly moved, responded with "Very proud grandson," When it came to valuation, Lay estimated: "If these came up on the auction market today, if you sold them, they would sell for something in the region of £3,500 to £4,500." The guest exclaimed: "Jeez. That's quite a substantial total", while Lay noted, "It's a testament to the bravery of a very young man." The segment concluded with the guest expressing deep emotion: "It's overwhelming. An overwhelming sense of pride." Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Te Teko burglary: Man pleads for return of father's World War II medals, other family heirlooms
Coppell said the medals were a taonga treasured by his family. They were meant to go to his niece one day. 'Now I've got to tell her 'sorry, someone's taken them'. 'I don't even know what to say.' His father enlisted in the artillery regiment of the army and served in World War II before being discharged in 1945 at the rank of lance bombardier. He was awarded the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945 and the New Zealand War Service Medal. 'He was awarded those for his service to this country, and this is how people treat him.' Coppell said owing to his young age at the time of his father's death, he did not know much about him, but the medals served as a connection to him. They were worn annually by Coppell, who himself served briefly in the Territorial Forces, and by his daughter on the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. He'd had the medals restored and mounted by another World War II veteran in Christchurch, and had replicas mounted for all his nieces. The original set and one set of replicas were in a box stolen in Coppell's absence. There was a delay of about three weeks before he arrived in the Eastern Bay after his belongings were moved to the property near Te Teko. He thought it was possible the thieves did not know what they were stealing, given they were boxed up, but he hoped they would be inclined to return his belongings once they realised they had little monetary value. Other stolen items that were precious to Coppell include a clay dragon handcrafted and gifted by his ex-wife, a marble chess set, family photos and a large number of tools and electronics he used for his model railway hobby. He has now lost baby photos of his children – one in particular was framed with a ballet slipper alongside an image of the daughter who grew up to be a ballerina – and his grandparents. 'You could rip the photo out and keep the frame, but why? Imagine if I went through their home and did that,' he said. 'Oh, there's a photo of your great-grandmother. I want that, I'll take it. 'Your grandfather's service medals? I'll take those. You've got clothes? I've got none, I'll take them for myself. 'It's just totally violating. That's a mild word.' He said he was unemployed despite his efforts to find work, and he did not have the means to recover from the burglary. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. 'They have destroyed my life. They have taken away all my memories of my childhood, of my daughters' childhoods.' Coppell said the thieves had rifled through a toy box he used to store his precious items. The box had survived the Christchurch earthquakes and Coppell had dug through liquefaction to save it. Now he estimated that everything he owned could fit in the box with room to spare. Coppell said he would like his belongings returned, anonymously if that was what it took, but he was not concerned about prosecution. He urged anyone who knew where his belongings were to contact him anonymously on Facebook or drop them off somewhere such as the Te Teko dairy, where he could collect them. If he had one message to the people who stole his belongings, he said it would be to man up, have some decency and return his taonga. 'It's a cliche, isn't it, but they've ripped my heart out. Actually, they've done more than that, they've taken my soul. 'They have robbed a whole family of our history. 'My father served his country; have some decency and return his medals. They're worth nothing to you.'
