My Account
The medals are attractively displayed but the man in the photograph is not identified.
A set of medals belonging to a World War II veteran has mysteriously turned up in a Matheson Bay home, but the homeowner has no idea where they came from and who they belong to.
The five medals have been mounted in a photo frame and include the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and NZ War Service Medal
The 1939-45 Star suggests the owner may have served in the Battle of Britain and the Pacific Star indicates he may have fought in Burma.
Also in the photo frame is a black and white photograph of a man in civilian dress but nothing is written on the back of the photo to indicate who he is.
The medals were found in the basement of Dean and Jacqui Bell’s former home at 29 Kendale Drive.
The couple moved out of the house about a month ago. After all their possessions had been removed, Dean toured the house one last time to ensure nothing had been left behind.
He found the medals in the basement. They were in a drawer underneath one of two built-in bunk beds.
As they were about to leave the area, Dean and Jacqui entrusted the medals to neighbours Tony and Suzi Scott.
Suzi says over the last seven years the house has frequently been let out as a holiday rental and it’s assumed that somebody who stayed in the home left the medals behind.
Suzi wonders if it could be someone who came to Matheson Bay to attend a funeral or perhaps an Anzac Day service.
However, Suzi says extensive checks on former tenants who rented the house, including some now living in the UK, have turned up nothing.
She says she and her husband have even walked around the Matakana War Memorial to see if they can match the photo in the frame with pictures of veterans there. However, this was also unsuccessful.
Suzi is eager to connect with anyone who might know anything about the medals or who the owner is, so they might be returned.
If nobody can be found, she suspects she may hand them over to the Waiouru Army Museum.
Anyone with information on the medals should contact Suzi on 021 247 2434.
