In June 2021 I published a story regarding the return of Freddie Westbrook’s World War 1 medals. Fred, who was born at Masterton, was working on a farm at Silverstream Upper Hutt before he enlisted and subsequently died of wounds on 23 April 1918 following the Battle of Ancre, France during the last six months of the war. His war medals eventually (and anonymously) finished up in the Wellington RSA for an unknown number of years. They became part of a consignment of the residual medals that remained unclaimed after the RSA decided to return the club’s holding of medals to any relative who answered their advertised offer to descendants. Those not claimed at the end of that process were forwarded to MRNZ to continue the search for descendants.
We were very pleased to be able to return Fred Westbrook’s pair of 1st World War medals to his cousin John Westbrook of Motueka, himself a wounded Vietnam veteran and grand nephew of Freddie’s mother Ellen Westbrook.
Last week, Gavin S. of Lower Hutt contacted me with the news he was in possession of a Memorial Plaque named to Frederick Victor Westbrook, a person he hadn’t any knowledge of until he ran the name on the internet. Up popped MRNZ’s June 2021 story of Freddie Westbrook’s medals. It also answered the question of why Gavin had inherited the plaque from another family member who was not entirely sure why the family had it in the first place as it was a name none of them recognised.
A Memorial Plaque (also called ‘death penny’, ‘deadman’s penny’ or widow’s plaque) was sent to the next of kin of all soldiers, sailors airmen and nurses who were killed, died of wounds or disease while serving in the military forces of World War 1. Accompanied by a Commemorative Scroll and a form letter of condolence from the King, the plaque was an official token of gratitude and acknowledgement that the person had died in the service of their country and the Empire.
After Fred Westbrook’s birth his mother Ellen married on two occasions. Gavin turned out to be one of Ellen’s great-grandsons from one of those marriages! Having read Fred’s story online, Gavin contacted me as he was keen to see the plaque reunited with Fred’s medals. He felt the plaque would mean so much more to the medal owner which would also ensure all of Fred’s medals were united.
When I phoned John and told him the news, he was understandably both flabbergasted and delighted that the plaque had turned up at all, let alone in the hands of a relative who he has never known. I dare say that may change shortly as both men are now in contact with one another. Gavin sent the Memorial Plaque to me and yesterday I had much pleasure in driving to Motueka to meet with John Westbrook and handover the plaque. A very satisfying couple of hours work 🙂
The reunited medal tally is 463.
