WW1 and WW2 Medals found in Hamilton

Hi Folks,

Someone in a CEF forum just mentioned this and posted a link to this yesterdays story from the Hamilton Spectator about some kids finding some medals and a search for the rightful owner/s.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/228440

Mystery of the war medals still unsolved
Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
(Aug 2, 2007)
The case of the newly-discovered war medals isn't proving an easy one for police to crack.

Last month, two kids walking in an alleyway at Wellington and Cannon streets stumbled upon seven war medals. Six were from the Second World War and the other was from the First World War.

But whether the recovered medals belong to a family of veterans or are the stash of a collector is a mystery.

There are clues, such as an inscription on the First World War medal: Pte. A.O. Lamb 21601 A.S.C.

Two thick cardboard boxes found with the medals bore two other names: K. Lamb and D. Midgley.

The addresses and stamps on the boxes were from England.

Hamilton Detective Constable Jon Murphy, who is handling the search, has contacted Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defence and Archives Canada.

Murphy has had no luck in tracking down the men or their next of kin.

Dave Thomson, who specializes in returning war medals to soldiers or their family members, speculated the medals may be from someone's private collection because there were several names found.

It's possible the owners don't even know they're missing, he said.

Both Thomson and Murphy speculated the awards belonged to British soldiers.

Thomson suggested checking with nursing homes in the area, as well as complexes for seniors to see if anyone is missing the medals.

dbrown@thespec.com

905-526-4629

Karmen

[PPS]

The problem with regimental numbers up to the 1920's is that they were changed on transfer between units, and sometimes within a unit itself.

I had a look through the medal cards in the National Archives, but found nothing for a Pte A.O. Lamb, although there is a Lamb A. who was in the Serveice Corps.

There is only one entry for a Lamb K., although there are six others that include the initial K.

I could find no entries for Midgley D. but there are 546 for the name and there are possibly ones there listed with a full first name.

Paul

I use a variety of search terms and ways to try and find soldiers ... up to and including just checking numbers "scrolling through the numbers" ... meaning if a number is say 1111 through 2222 I'll search by changing the last digit then the last two and so forth, working from 1110 through 1119, to see who all attested in that block, where from, etc.

I play around in archivianet sometimes, wondering who enlisted in certain areas (example Selkirk Manitoba) or enlisted the same day etc as say, my Grandpa or Great Uncles, hoping to come across other relatives or people connected to back home areas.

The attestation papers can get really interesting. And I'm amazed at how many attested here in Canada that were from other countries like Scotland and England and most showed prior military service from wherever they hailed from. I find this really curious why soldiers from other countries would be here in Canada and attest here???

I don't have a life so must fill it with little things like this