Seven decades after they were awarded to a Central Otago man, a set of war medals have made it home. Gillian Vine reports.
It was a long journey, but after 71 years, Jack Ashworth's World War 2 medals made it to Central Otago.
"It's a fairytale ending,'' said Shane Pope, who made it happen, to the joy of Mr Ashworth's nephew Allan.
The pair met for the first time recently, at Mr Ashworth's Millers Flat home, where Mr Pope had booked himself and his father Laurie (79) into Allan Ashworth's B&B.
He had not said why they were coming, Shane Pope explained, and it was worth the secrecy "to see the look on Allan's face''.
Brought up in Alexandra, Jack Ashworth moved to Australia in 1927 aged 23 and died in New South Wales in 1961, childless and estranged from his wife.
His possessions were left at the Pope family farm, near Stuart Town, New South Wales, where he had stayed many times over the years.
"He trusted my grandmother with the medals,'' Shane Pope said.
Laurie Pope remembers Jack Ashworth as being "like a second father'' and recalls him joining the Australian Army just after the outbreak of World War 2, in 1939.
Jack served in Europe and North Africa, then was captured on Crete and spent time as a prisoner of the Germans before escaping with seven others.
Later, he received a commendation from the US Third Army for his part in "capturing SS troops and arresting important Nazi officials''.
At the end of the war, Jack returned to Australia, via Alexandra to see his mother.
Laurie Pope felt the World War 2 medals, a horse carving Jack Ashworth did while a prisoner of war and a photograph of a racehorse he had owned should be returned to family in New Zealand but had no idea where to start.
His son, Shane, who had "proudly marched in Anzac parades wearing Jack's medals'', took up the challenge and after complex research on the internet - "Dad was terrified I'd give the medals to the wrong person'' - discovered Jack's oldest nephew was Allan.
Timely airline specials helped move things along and "the awesomeness of Allan's reaction'' made the journey and the secrecy worthwhile, Shane said.
Mr Ashworth admits there were a few tears shed - on both sides - when the medals and carving were handed over.
"It was a wonderful gesture of these guys coming over here to do this and I can't thank them enough.''
He had talked on the phone to Laurie's older brother and two older sisters, who got to know his uncle well over the years.
"Talking to them was wonderful and meant I got to know him a little better, through them.''
His uncle was 45 when he married for the first time but separated from his wife.
He died of cancer.
Jack Ashworth's father Archie was a well-known Alexandra resident, a prominent businessman and a former mayor of the borough.
The Popes were excited to discover Allan Ashworth was a keen genealogist whose papers included a letter from Jack to his mother, which mentioned the kindness of the Pope family.
Laurie Pope said: "It's a helluva relief to me to bring them [the medals] back'', while for his son, the bottom line is: "These medals needed to be returned home. End of story.''
- Additional reporting Lynda van Kempen
