WAR MEDALS make their way
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Victoria Police Sergeant Vaughan Atherton has served as an Army Reservist, so when he came across a set of World War II medals stolen 51 years ago, he made it his mission to return them to their rightful owner.
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After the medals were recovered by police during the execution of a search warrant at a Lilydale property in 2017, police had not been able to identify who they belonged to. Sgt Atherton first saw the medals in Lilydale Police Station’s property office this year and was able to discover a small name on the rim of the medals. This led him on a long and exhaustive search of service history lists and several other databases, cross-checking the names of relatives of the man who the medals were awarded to – Private Douglas Downs. Sgt Atherton tracked down Private Downs’ sister and only living relative, Rosemary Bowling, now aged 81.
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“It also makes the long hours put into complex investigations like this worth it to get such a result.” Ms Richards was glowing in her praise of Det Sen Const Florence and his colleagues. “It’s been a long road and I’m just so amazed everybody has put in so much time to find it,” she said.
Rosemary told Sgt Atherton the medals had been stolen during a burglary in 1969 from the western suburbs home of Private Downs, who has since died. “He was most upset when the medals were stolen but I am beyond excited to have them returned after more than 50 years and Douglas would be absolutely thrilled,” Mrs Bowling said. Sgt Atherton said he was glad to return the medals. “Having family who have served in the forces, I know how important these medals are to the people who they are awarded to and it was important to me to see that they were returned to Douglas’s family,” he said. “We are yet to identify the offenders who stole the medals back in 1969 but let’s just say, it’s never too late.”
“The police have been absolutely magnificent.” Racetracks around Victoria will now have to ready themselves for the return of the dynamic duo of Sexy Lexy and Ms Richards. “I will definitely be racing again,” she said. Images Torana returned 01 Carol Richards’ Holden Torana had been missing for almost 30 years after it was stolen from her driveway. 02 Ms Richards and Sexy Lexy made a name for themselves tearing around Victorian racetracks decades ago. 03 Ms Richards plants a kiss on Lexy, delighted to be reunited with the 1973 Holden. 04 Back behind the wheel of Sexy Lexy again, Ms Richards is looking forward to hitting the racetrack. Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann Photography: Clare O’Donnell and supplied
Images Back in the family 01 Private Douglas Downs was awarded several medals for his service during World War II. 02 The medals were stolen from Private Downs’ home in Melbourne’s western suburbs in 1969. Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann
POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2020-21
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