A JOHNSTONE family has been reunited with a war hero’s long-lost medals...after The Gazette stepped in to solve the mystery of their whereabouts.
Earlier this month, we issued a plea for help to find medals awarded to former prisoner-of-war Daniel Shaw.
The medals had been on display at the United Services Club, in Macdowall Street, Johnstone, for more than 30 years.
READ MORE: Family issues plea to find Johnstone war hero’s lost medals
However, the club shut down in 2014 and, when Daniel’s family tried to get the prized possessions back, they were nowhere to be seen.
That led to an appeal for information being published in The Gazette... and it didn’t take long for us to achieve a positive result.
We were contacted by Mark Cadle, who was chairman of the United Services Club at the time it closed down, and he confirmed the medals were safely in storage.
He then arranged for the medals to be returned to Daniel’s great-niece Edith Stewart.
And, as an added bonus, Mark was also able to send Daniel’s military paperwork and service records to the family.
Edith, who lives in Johnstone town centre, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news. The family have been searching for Dan’s medals for years but we never really knew where to start or who to contact.
“It’s incredible The Gazette has managed to do more in a few short weeks than we did in five years.
“I want to thank Mr Cadle for coming forward to get the medals back to our family and also for the fantastic condition he kept them in.
“I also want to thank The Gazette as, without your help, we would probably have had to give up looking for the medals.”
Daniel was born on January 24, 1920, and never married.
His life in the Seaforth Highlanders took him across the world and saw him serving his country in the likes of Africa and Malaysia.
In an incredible twist of fate, it turns out that, for years, Mark lived in the same block of Johnstone flats as Edith.
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He has told of his delight at returning the medals and documents to Daniel’s family.
Mark said: “When the club closed, we had no knowledge of any living relatives of Daniel and no-one approached us when the closure of the club was announced.
“I then secured the remaining items of historical interest and placed these into secure storage.
“I am glad to have found a direct relative of Daniel’s I can pass these medals on to – someone who will appreciate their significance.”
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