6/4594 ~ Samuel CHASE A former RNZN sailor who served on the HMNZS Achilles and Leander during WW2, Ron P. is now an Australia resident. Ron recently sent a request to the NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals (PAMS) for help to return a WW1 Victory Medal named to a New Zealand soldier: 6/4594 PTE. S. CHASE N.Z.E.F. With no current information regarding the family's … [Read more...]
SAMUEL CHASE ~ The lost medal of a Hawkes Bay soldier who died alone in a Nelson asylum.
April 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment
DENYS BOWEN PATTERSON ~ A chance request uncovers father’s unclaimed WW2 medals.
April 9, 2018 By
NZ 39841 ~ DENYS BOWEN PATTERSON, RNZAF Gail H. of Nelson contacted MRNZ in September 2017 wanting advice on how she could find out what her father's WW2 medal entitlement had been. Gail had previously obtained a copy of the military records of her father's service and upon reading it realised that although there was no specific mention, her father had … [Read more...]
DANIEL LAURENCE SLOAN ~ Stolen medals found in Lake Forsyth by an eagle-eyed Little River resident.
March 26, 2018 By 2 Comments
36369 ~ DANIEL LAURENCE SLOAN Readers who have cycled the Little River Rail Trail or travelled State Highway 75 from Christchurch to Akaroa on Banks Peninsula will be familiar with Lake Forsyth. The state highway and Rail Trail borders the SW bank of the lake. Mid-way along the lake is the Little River Freedom Camp, a small vehicle park on … [Read more...]
THOMAS WALTER TAYLOR ~ #200 ~ ID bracelet of a WW2 Gunner from Rai Valley, Marlborough is found after burglary.
March 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
20663 ~ THOMAS WALTER TAYLOR A call to MRNZ from the New Zealand Police in late October 2017 was another of their requests for help to reunite a personal item of military memorabilia. A bespoke Second World War identity bracelet had been handed in to the New Brighton Police Station, and I would attempt to locate an owner family or … [Read more...]
MAURICE CLIFTON DRUMMOND ~ ‘Death Penny’ & medal reunited with Braeburn, Lower Moutere descendant.
March 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment
29235 - MAURICE CLIFTON DRUMMOND - KIA Belgium This is yet another case of a Memorial Plaque and medal 'lost' to an NZEF soldier's family by time and circumstance. The plaque commemorates the death of Maurice Clifton Drummond, a former Motueka Mounted Rifleman and WW1 infantry soldier who was Killed in Action in Belgium, … [Read more...]
FREDERICK HAROLD MINTROM, MC, MM ~ Missing double gallantry group of a Canterbury soldier and officer welcomed home.
February 19, 2018 By Leave a Comment
26363 & 3/1/5 - FREDERICK HAROLD MINTROM, M.C., M.M. Foreword: It is rare for MRNZ to have an opportunity to reunite a double gallantry medal group with the recipient's family. To do justice to one of only two NZ Machine-gun Corps recipients these two First World War decorations, would warrant a book. I have attempted to provide … [Read more...]
THOMAS SEYMOUR PRICHARD, BEM (Mil) – Medal belonging to New Zealand’s “Mr Shooting” found in Waikari, Nth Canterbury.
February 10, 2018 By Leave a Comment
271581 - THOMAS SEYMOUR PRICHARD, BEM (Mil) An article appeared in an October edition of the North Canterbury News, relating the return of a WW1 Memorial ('Death') Plaque we had reunited with a Waikari family. Brian O'Sullivan, also a Waikari resident, read the article and was prompted to recall a medal he had inherited from his grandmother after she died … [Read more...]
Trophy medal won 82 years ago reunited with family of New Zealand’s “Mr Shooting”
February 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment
A rifle shooting medal earned in 1935 by a young man who would dedicate over 40 years to competition, coaching and administrating target rifle shooting in New Zealand, was found in a box of personal papers of a Waikari man's grandmother ... this article appeared in the North Canterbury News on February 5, 2018. Journey complete .. Brian O'Sullivan, right, holds the Pattee … [Read more...]
SAMUEL ALBERT McMILLAN, MM ~ Mataura River ‘gold’ is reunited after a 50 plus year unresolved mystery.
February 3, 2018 By Leave a Comment
24/1439 - SAMUEL ALBERT McMILLAN, M.M. (aka William Henry McMillan) I was recently privileged to do some research for the descendant family of another WW1 soldier who had earned a gallantry medal during the Battle of Harvincourt, France in September 1918. The research came about in a circuitous way which had started with a gold fob pendant/medal that had been … [Read more...]
CHARLES ROBERT GRATWICK ~ Deceased Estate medals of UK migrant reunited with descendant during visit to NZ.
February 2, 2018 By Leave a Comment
8/3909 - CHARLES ROBERT GRATWICK Polson McMillan (PM) is a Dunedin law firm. One of PM consultant experts in family and property law is Helen Davidson from whom I received a letter in January 2016 regarding the Estate of Miss Christine Bertha GRATWICK, a 91 year old unmarried lady of Dunedin who had died at the Yvette Williams Rest Home on 12 January … [Read more...]
