Stolen medals awarded to a first world war soldier returned to family

Medals awarded to a first world war soldier that were stolen more than a decade ago have been reunited with the recipient's son.

The remarkable story of the return of the medals began with Martin Craig, from Worthing, a collector of interesting items, who saw them for sale on ebay.

Martin was the successful bidder, paying £30 for the the campaign medals.

On receiving them, he decided to research who they were awarded to and on entering the recipient's name, Nelson Piper, and serial number the first reference that he found was an Advertiser story from 2012 that revealed how the medals had been stolen from the home of one of Mr Piper's sons and of the heartbreak of losing them.

Martin then contacted the Advertiser, determined to reunite them with their rightful owners.

He said: "I am just so pleased that they can be returned to those that should have them."

The Advertiser contacted Newark Police, who investigated the original theft, and who were able to find Nelson Piper's family.

Martin sent the Advertiser the medals and police and newspaper were able to ensure their safe, and surprise return.

Bombardier Nelson Piper’s youngest son Gordon Richard Piper was reunited with the two medals on Tuesday.

Gordon said: "I can't believe it. I still haven't got over how after all this time they managed to find me.

"I assumed we would never see them again. We went to antique shops, antique fairs and people looked online, but eventually we gave up.

"It's wonderful to have them back."

Replicas had been bought and put in the display case to replace the stolen medals, which will now be swapped back for the real thing ­— which for Gordon are an important connection to his father alongside the dog tag and cap badge which he has kept.

Martin added: "The Advertiser's article was the first thing that came up when I did the search. I guess you would say, certainly my wife does, that I buy various random things, and these were the first medals that I have bought.

"Given what Bombardier Piper went through to earn them, and how devastating it must have been for his family to lose them, I knew that I had to do what I could to try and ensure their safe return, and I am delighted that has been able to happen."

Bombardier Piper served with the Royal Field Artillery. He saw action at the Somme, Ypres, Arras, Menin Ridge, Passchendale, Ancre, Cambrai, and Picardy.

At the time of the theft, Gordon, then 77, and of Newark, had visited 15 battlefields where his father fought to try to gain an understanding of what he went through and has now visited all of the battlefields.

He survived the war and lived to the age of 99, but never spoke of his experiences.

Gordon told the Advertiser at the time that it now felt like it had all been for nothing and that whoever took the medals ought to be ashamed of themselves.

The medals, inscribed ‘N. Piper RFA (serial number) 46476’ on their rims, were stolen from a display case at the Newark home of Mr Piper’s 90-year-old older brother. The back of the case was then re-applied and it was then returned to its original place.

PC Anthea Brotheridge was put on the case as as student officer 12 years ago, and was present to see the medals handed back to their rightful owner.

"As the original officer in the case its nice to see that a member of the public went out of their way to ensure the return of the medals ­— which will now hopefully be passed down the generations.

"I had a brilliant sergeant at the time, who made sure every avenue of investigation was taken."

Bombardier Piper served in the Royal Field Artillery for six years from 1907.

He emigrated to Canada but, rather than wait to be recalled, re-enlisted as a volunteer when war was declared in 1914.

He was posted to France in 1915. The noise of the artillery fire had left him partially deaf by the end of the war.

He was demobilised in 1919 but felt disillusioned that there was little Government support for men like him who had served their country.

Gordon said his father held down three jobs to make ends meet.

He rented a 15-acre smallholding at Rolleston, met a girl from Averham, settled down and started a family.