Manuel Nicdao with Renella Phillips.
A DISTINGUISHED conduct medal awarded to an army sergeant in the First World War has been returned to his family — 90 years after it was buried in a field.
The County Press reported in June how Sgt George Humber, who served with the 38th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, had been awarded the medal sometime between 1919 and 1920.
Believed to have been lost in about 1921, by his wife, Bessie, the medal was found on April 29 this year, on farmland in Surrey, by Manuel Nicdao, of the Weekend Wanderers metal detecting club.
Sgt Humber’s family were traced, following extensive research by David Williams, finds liaison officer for Surrey, and his counterpart on the Island, Frank Basford, together with readers of the Surrey Mirror and County Press.
His granddaughter, Renella Phillips, who lives in Shorwell, was recently handed the medal by Mr Nicdao.
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| Sgt George Humber. |
"It’s wonderful to have the medal back in the family and quite amazing to think it had been in the ground for all those years," said Mrs Phillips.
Sgt Humber, who died in 1985, was also awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
These medals were stolen in a burglary at the Humber family’s home and were replaced by the War Office.
Reporter: mattw@iwcpmail.co.uk