Thread: Quest to find local hero’s medals

Quest to find local hero’s war medals - News - Stockport Express

A HISTORICAL researcher is desperately trying to recover a rare military medal that went missing from the sister of a Stockport World War One hero.

Captain Stephen Wynn Vickers, who lived on Bramhall Moor Road in Hazel Grove, was a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps.

He was awarded the military cross and was one of the first recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 1918.

Stephen, who attended Great Moor School and Stockport Grammar School, played a leading part in 75 successful bombing raids over enemy lines with 101 Night Bombing squadron, but died from pneumonia, aged just 23, on February 19 1919.

He was buried with full military honours at Norbury Parish Church in Hazel Grove on February 23 1919, attended by a large number of mourners and local dignitaries.

After his mother, Anne, died in May 1938, his younger sister, Clara, became the keeper of the family history and she looked after his medals.

During the 1990s Clara was admitted to a nursing home and it was at this time that the DFC vanished.

She died in 1998 and now family friend and historical researcher, Joe Bamford, is hoping to recover the medal as he believes Stephen was a true war hero.

He said: "Nothing has been seen or heard of the medal since it disappeared, but it would be worth quite a lot of money now. He was a local man and like many others went out and did his bit. He was quite a character, a highly intelligent man and a great leader of men. Very few receive both the Military Cross and the DFC and he rubbed shoulders with some of the best. It was an incredible feat to survive all those flights and umpteen crash landings. He even survived being shot in the head at Vimy Ridge in April 1916, when on observation duties. Yet in the end he was killed like millions from the great influenza pandemic."

At the time of his death, the then Stockport Advertiser reported on the funeral and paid tribute to him, describing Stephen as having a most ‘engaging personality, and was loved and respected by all with whom he came into contact’.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the DFC medal they can email mdavisATmenwnDOTcouk