WWI medal found in rhubarb patch

[Kyt]

BBC NEWS | Wales | Mid Wales | WWI medal found in rhubarb patch

A Powys woman was shocked to unearth a World War I medal while digging her rhubarb patch in her back garden.

Lynne Brown, from Manafon, near Welshpool, is now on a mission to track down the family of the recipient, a Private G Jones.

She believes it could be a general service medal awarded 90 years ago to soldiers who fought in The Great War.

Mrs Brown now wants to return it to Pte Jones' family, but has so far been unable to track them down.

She discovered the silver award after it glinted in the sun.

After cleaning it, and examining it under a magnifying glass, Mrs Brown found an inscription on the rim which reads: "Pte G Jones Che R 57726"

Mrs Brown, a widow, said: "I was tidying an area of my garden that hadn't really been dug properly for about 25 years.

"I was near the rhubarb patch when this object caught my eye. It was near to the surface and wasn't buried as such."

She added: "To think that somebody had gone through all that [World War I] and it's been left in the soil.

"I would have been really proud if someone had come to me and said 'we've found this medal, I think it belongs to you grandfather.'"

Mrs Brown and her family borrowed a metal detector, but failed to uncover anything else of interest.

She said she had carried out some research to try and trace the medal's owner, but so far her detective work had proved unsuccessful.

[Kyt]

I've just written to the BBC asking them to pass on the following:

As regards your story - WWI medal found in rhubarb patch.

The service number belongs to George Jones of the Cheshire Regiment. Though it maybe difficult to get his service record (as so many were destroyed in the Blitz) his medal card is available at the National Archives, and a pdf of said card can be downloaded forom the following link for £3.50

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details

I hope this helps Ms Brown track down the owner's family. And the medal is not a GSM but British War Medal

[Kitty]

She can contact the Cheshire Reg museum which is still extant in Chester Castle. They may have more information.

[Roxy]

The GWF is also discussing this here.

Roxy

[Antipodean Andy]

What an amazing find and good research, Kyt.