Service medals reunited with Craigieburn family of World War II veteran

Missing war medals belonging to a Donnybrook shearer who served as an Air Force flight mechanic during World War II have been reunited with his Craigieburn family after sitting in storage for almost 75 years.

Deirdre English with her father-in-law Lewis William English’s WWII service medals. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Service medals unclaimed for almost 75 years have been reunited with the Craigieburn family of a World War II veteran.

Leading aircraftman Lewis William English — a shearing contractor from Donnybrook about 32km north of Melbourne — served as a flight mechanic in the Royal Australian Air Force during the 1939-45 conflict.

Leading aircraftman Lewis William English.

English enlisted in April 1942 aged 36 and served out the remainder of the war, spending time on the Indonesia island of Morotai.

English was awarded the 1939-45 Pacific Star, most likely in the field, but the remaining three medals he was entitled to were never issued or claimed and stayed sitting in a box in Canberra.

Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee president Kevin O’Callaghan — who helped English’s daughter-in-law Deirdre English track down the missing medals — said there would be thousands like them sitting unclaimed in the nation’s capital.

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The service medals belonging to Lewis William English who served in the Royal Australian Air Force during WWII. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“It started as a result of our display at the library last Remembrance Day where Deirdre brought along her father-in-law’s Pacific Star,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“We just asked what happened to the others because we believed he was also entitled to the 1945-75 Australian Service Medal for soldiers who served for more than 30 days in peacekeeping operations at the end of the war.”

Deirdre English with Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee president Kevin O'Callaghan and the unclaimed medals. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Mrs English applied for a review through the Department of Defence which found his 1939-45 Commonwealth Star, British and Australian service medals in storage.

Mr O’Callaghan — who served in the Army Reserve during the 1970s — said these days medals were pinned on soldiers when they returned from combat.

“At the end of WWII because there was so many blokes you’d get these four medals wrapped in tissue paper in a little cardboard box.

“Any that weren’t claimed have just been sitting there for more than 70 years.”

Mrs English said during the process her family learnt more about her late husband Mervyn’s dad.

“I never knew him because he passed away before I met my husband,” she said.

“It means I’ve got stories to tell now and the family has something to talk about.

“A couple of my grandchildren are really interested in it.”

Mrs English will have the medals mounted so family members can wear them during commemoration events.

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