Precious Medal Returned To Army Veteran
An Army Veteran has been reunited with his stolen service medal which was just 48 hours away from being auctioned.
Adrian Horne was stationed in Northern Ireland with the Royal Regiment of Wales between 1973 and 1974 during the Maze Prison fire and the shipbuilders’ strike, and a time when many soldiers were killed.
Last month he was shocked to discover his GSM Queen Elizabeth II Northern Ireland medal was up for auction in Yorkshire.
Fairwater response officer Pc Kate Nicholson contacted the auction house to stop the lot going on sale and then sought the assistance of South Yorkshire Police to contact the seller.
The seller, who had innocently inherited the medal, agreed to relinquish ownership of the medal and return it to South Wales Police.
Although disappointed not to establish the circumstances of the theft, Pc Nicolson was delighted to return the medal to Mr Horne.
Mr Horne, from Fairwater, Cardiff, said: “I was mystified when I was told my medal was being advertised in an auction because I thought it was in my attic.
“The only thing we can think is that it was stolen during a burglary in the 1990s but I never realised it was missing.
“It’s not something I have on display, but it’s something that I know I have, and I am absolutely over the moon to have it back – thank you.”
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Jones, from the Eastern BCU SMT, said: “South Wales Police is committed to veterans through the community covenant and that includes recovering property that has been stolen.
“Pc Nicholson did a great job and it was nice to see Mr Horne reunited with such a well deserved medal.”
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