A Brisbane woman has been reunited with her great-uncle’s World War I medals, almost nine years after they were stolen from her home at Eight Mile Plains.
Annemarie Campbell became emotional as police returned the treasured family heirlooms, which had been missing since a 2017 break-in.
“I’m overcome. I never ever thought I’d ever see these again at all,” Campbell told Seven News through tears. “And to be able to show them to my grandchildren now.”
The medals had belonged to her great-uncle Cecil and were taken when thieves broke into her home. Although some of the stolen property was later recovered, the medals remained missing for years.
Acting Sergeant Michael Mayrseidl said the loss had been deeply felt.
“My heart went out to her at the time just to see the damage that had been wrought, not just in material terms, but to memories,” he said.
The turning point came only recently, when Campbell’s son noticed the medals had been listed in an online auction. Police moved quickly to recover them before they disappeared again.
“If it had been a week later, they’d be gone,” Campbell said. “What can you say about these people? They’re angels.”
The return of the medals was an emotional moment for Campbell, who said the reunion brought her to tears.
“Yeah, I just burst into tears. And I think he might have had a few tears too,” she said of the handover with police.
Although the medals might fetch only a few hundred dollars online, their real value to Campbell and her family is far greater. They represent not only military service, but a precious connection to their family’s past.
