Historian seeks to return war medal

The 1914-18 War Medal, which must have been issued to the bereaved relatives of Private Robert John Jones of Oswestry, has been in the family of Gary Lloyd for many years.

"My dad had it when he was a child, and he is 85 years old now, so it must have been in our family for 75 years," said Gary.

His father Peter, who lives at Buckley, near Mold, cannot remember how he came by the medal in the first place, but says that when they were youngsters they would swap family medals in school.

"The only thing he can think of is that that is how he acquired it."

The faded inscription around the circumference of the medal revealed it was that of Private R.J. Jones and giving his service number and identifying him as from the East Lancs. Regiment.

Gary says he phoned the regimental museum and a lady there was able to give him some information.

This revealed that his home address was 10 Leighton Place, Lower Brook Street, Oswestry, and he was 19 when he died on March 23, 1918, in the German spring offensive.

"His body was never recovered. I now want to find his relatives so that I can give the medal back to them. The medal has no sentimental value to us, as it is not our family. As it belongs to somebody else, and with it being 100 years since he died, it would be nice to give it to them. But Jones, on the Welsh border, is not an uncommon name."

Gary, who is 57 and lives between Buckley and Mold, can be contacted on 01352 758308.