RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: snowqueen on Friday 15 June 18 08:05 BST (UK)
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Hi,
We are trying to find information on a medal which has been dug up in a garden in County Durham so that it can hopefully be passed on to the family of the man in belonged to.
After cleaning the medal as best we can it seems it may be a medal from the Korean War and the information appears to be:
Sergeant Cameron with possible initial J
the number round the medal is 1151768
If anyone has any information on how we can trace Mr Cameron, we would be very grateful
Thank you
Lyn
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Considering the location of the find, I would suggest first point of contact to be Durham Light Infantry Association / Museum and if no luck there the following:
Veterans UK
Ministry of Defence
Norcross
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 3WP
Email: veterans-uk@mod.uk
They may not be able to assist but should point you in the best direction. I have scrutinised RN, RM and RAF casualties and Sgt Cameron is not listed as a casualty.
Alternatively, you could contact the Museum/Association of those Regiments which served in Korea; http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bkvaroh/ROH/RgtIndex.htm
For comparison purposes, depiction of UK/UN Korean War medals here: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~simjones/pjkorea/medals.htm
On the rim of UK Korean War medals, the recipients Unit was usually engraved after their surname; eg. RN (Royal Navy), RNF (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers), etc.
See http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/british_queens_korea_medal.htm
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Considering the location of the find, I would suggest first point of contact to be Durham Light Infantry Association / Museum and if no luck there the following:
Veterans UK
Ministry of Defence
Norcross
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 3WP
Email: veterans-uk@mod.uk
They may not be able to assist but should point you in the best direction. I have scrutinised RN, RM and RAF casualties and Sgt Cameron is not listed as a casualty.
Alternatively, you could contact the Museum/Association of those Regiments which served in Korea; http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bkvaroh/ROH/RgtIndex.htm
For comparison purposes, depiction of UK/UN Korean War medals here: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~simjones/pjkorea/medals.htm
On the rim of UK Korean War medals, the recipients Unit was usually engraved after their surname; eg. RN (Royal Navy), RNF (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers), etc.
See http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/british_queens_korea_medal.htm
"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them"
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While I cannot access the detail, Forces War Records have a 1950 record for Sgt JS Cameron of the Glider Pilot Regiment with that service number. As numbers were unique by then he is a highly likely candidate.
(Although gliders were not used in Korea, men of the Glider Pilot Regiment did serve there).
Forces War Records will not have his detailed service record with next of kin details, they are with the Ministry of Defence still. Note that MOD will not release a man's next of kin details to someone who is not themselves next of kin or who does not have the permission of the next of kin.
A useful contact may be the Glider Pilot Regiment Society, the regiment was a small one which often makes finding people easier.
https://www.gliderpilotregiment.org.uk/ .
There is also the Museum of Army Flying who have a Glider Pilot memorial book although he doesn't appear in it (just means nobody has submitted his name).
An approach to a local newspaper may be the best bet. 1950 is not that long ago and there may be recall of a local man who served in that regiment.
MaxD
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Good researching MaxD
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Many many thanks for all your help, it's very much appreciated. It looks like the medal belongs to Sgt J S Cameron so I will contact the MoD and the Glider Pilot Regiment. I realise I can't access his details but perhaps they might be able to contact any relatives of his who can then provide details for us to send the medal on.
Once again, thank you so much
Kind regards
Lyn
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Lyn, this is a wonderful thing you are doing. It's lovely to see someone willing to take so much time and effort over something like this. It's a pet hate of mine to see military medals turn up in auctions, although I do understand that for some people they are not important or have little to no meaning or relevance. For all you know, Sgt Cameron has been looking for this medal for decades and you are going to do your best to reunite him or his family with the medal.
Good for you.
RRTB
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Hi RRTB,
Thank you for your kind words. The medal was dug up in a Vicarage garden of all places, though how it got there is anybody's guess and I will do my best to reunite it with it's owner or his family if at all possible, bearing in mind the lack of access to records that late. Hopefully the MoD will be able to help fingers crossed.
Lyn
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John Richard Cameron enlisted into the Royal Artillery (Field, Coastal & Anti-Aircraft ) in 1942. He remained with them throughout WW2.
He transferred to the A.A.C on 2nd August 1945. Who he was with in Korea I do not know.
Jim
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Hi Jim,
Many thanks for your reply, it's much appreciated. If it's the same gentleman who's medal we have he was with the Glider Pilot Regiment
Lyn
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Hi Lyn
There is a family tree on Ancestry which is most probably this gentleman. There are several photographs titled thus:
PHOTO: John Cameron - Korea
CATEGORY: Portrait
DESCRIPTION: 1913 Light Liason Flight Group
Annotation on reverse of photo: The Flight Pilots in March 1953.... (MY comment: Korean War 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953)
ATTACHED TO: John Richard Cameron (1927-1988)
PHOTO: John Cameron & Anne Parkes
CATEGORY: Portrait
DESCRIPTION: Day of engagement
ATTACHED TO: John Richard Cameron (1927-1988)
PHOTO: Dad Main Photo (MY comment: Note "Dad")
CATEGORY: Other
ATTACHED TO: John Richard Cameron (1927-1988)
I am not a subscriber to Ancestry and therefore unable to provide any further data. However, a request on this website for anyone with a subscription may very well put you in touch with his family.
On behalf of all Veterans, thank you for attempting to reunite an Award with the recipient's family.
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Hi q98,
Many thanks for the info. I think his sons may now have been traced through other means (fingers crossed) but I have an Ancestry subscription so will take a look.
Lyn
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Hi Lyn
Excellent news. Please keep us updated.
Jim
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I will
Lyn
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Following q98's message re. the Ancestry website for John Richard Cameron, I've just contacted his son who confirms it is his father's medal. The Glider Pilot Regiment have apparently contacted another son so the Medal will finally be going home - Result!!! Many thanks to you all for your help in making this happen
Kind regards
Lyn
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Outstanding !
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Thank you q98, well worth the effort for such a happy outcome
Lyn
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By amazing coincidence I received an email in the last few minutes from the Glider Pilot Regiment Association answering my earlier query, giving the news that the problem had been solved via another route. Delighted.
MaxD
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Me too MaxD. Couldn't have done it without Rootschat and the Glider Pilot Regiment
Lyn
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And to think it all started with a transcription on Forces War Records about whom (which?) very little good is heard!
MaxD
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Well they certainly came up trumps this time MaxD
Lyn
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Just came back onto this thread tonight - this is brilliant news, Lyn.
I know you've already referred to Rootschat members and the Glider Pilot Regiment in your acknowledgement of thanks, but if it hadn't been for your initiating this whole search by determining that this medal should be reunited with its owner/owner's family none of this would have ever happened. A family has been reunited with a lost medal thanks to you.
RRTB
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Hi RRTB,
Thank you. We're all over the moon that the family has been found.
Lyn
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I would just like to add my thanks to Lyn, she did an amazing job with here perseverance assisted by the GPR and the wonderful RootsChat members.
I am John Cameron's eldest son based in Dubai with Emirates, David is in the UK with Shell. We were completely taken aback with being reunited with a my Dad's Queen's Korea Medal. My Dad was a POW in Korea after being shot down over "The Hook" on the 6th of May 1953 while flying an observation flight over Chinese lines in an Auster AOP. Previously he was Ist Parachute Regiment after being a 'Woolwich Boy'.
Once again, thank you to everyone who helped bring a piece of family history back home.
Best Regards
Mark Cameron