Elderly Whangārei woman reunited with some of her dead husband's stolen war medals

November 17, 2019

However, three are still missing.

An elderly Whangārei woman has been reunited with some of her dead husband's stolen war medals.

Peggy Hyslop's late husband Fred was awarded seven medals for his time in the British army during World War II.

The war medals were stolen when their Whangārei home was burgled five-years-ago.

Ms Hyslop told 1 NEWS her husband was a Northcode operator.

“A pretty mean thing to do to take something like that from someone who spent so many years in the war and all that happens in the war,” she says.

However, just a few weeks ago the RSA called, saying four of the medals had been found on a street in Kamo.

"Basically this chap found them and realised they were of some value to somebody and he bought them in here to the RSA because they were original medals.

"They had the recipient’s name engraved on the edge so we were able to track down who they actually belonged to,” says Whangārei RSA President, Kevin Pastor.

However, three are still missing, including the African Star and the family is appealing to anyone who might know where they are.

Ms Hyslop and her husband met in England and married during the war.

He was captured by the Germans in Italy but escaped but went back to destroy the radio he'd left behind, his courage recognised at the time.

“There was a ceremony but someone took that photo of us, of Fred having that bravery medal being pinned on him by General Alexander,” Ms Hyslop says.

The RSA says the theft of war medals is a national shame but not uncommon. The organisation is currently dealing with the ongoing theft of bronze plaques from servicemen graves in Christchurch.

Ms Hyslop has applied to the British Armed Forces to have them reissued.

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