Delight as family sees three generations of war medals saved from Peterborough tip

A Peterborough army veteran has spoken of her delight as her war medals – and those of her grandfather and great grandfather – were rescued from Peterborough tip.

Caron Blackall, who lives in Peterborough, served in the army in the Gulf War in 1991 and 1992 was overjoyed to be given the medals back this week.

She had preserved her medals in a frame, along with the medals of her great grandfather, George Blackall, who served in the army in the First World War, and her grandfather – also called George Blackall, who served in the army in the Second World War. The frame also included pictures of the three family members next to their hard earned medals.

She had lost the medals over the years, and thought she would never see them again – until they were spotted by a member of the army cadets who works at the Household Waste Centre in Peterborough.

After a bit of online detective work from the cadets, the medals have now been returned, with a presentation at the Talavera Detachment No1 Company Cambs Army Cadets Force in Westwood, Peterborough taking place this week.

‘I was over the moon to hear they had been found’

Caron said: “On Friday evening I received a text from a friend saying there was a picture online of my medals. I was over the moon to hear that they had been found."

Caron was a private when she was in the Gulf War, and received a Rosette, as she had been there before and after the war finished.

She eventually left the army as a Lance Corporal in 1996.

Her grandfather served with the Royal Fusiliers, and travelled across 'the Meridian Line’ during the war, in both Europe and Africa.

Caron said she knew little about her great grandfather’s time in the forces, other than he had ‘the trio’ of medals – Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Medals donated to cadet force

While the medals have now been returned, she has donated them to the Talavera Detachment No1 Company Cambs Army Cadets Force, who had uncovered them.

She said: “When I came to pick the medals up, they were all welcoming and interested in the medals. It is great that they will go to someone who will really appreciate them.

"The military is like a family, even after all these years since I left.”

Jason McNally, from the Talavera cadets, said he had been delighted to hand the medals over. He said: “Sgt Phil Peal, from the cadets, works at the recycling centre, and he saw the medals about to be disposed of. He saved them, and we put them on a few military history sites online. Within four hours of the pictures going online, we had tracked Caron down.

"I was chuffed to bits that we were able to find her, and reunite her with the medals.”