How The War Medals
p. 77 · Read in the full issue
Came Back
WEWAK (N.G.), October 26. r\VER three years ago a returned sol dier in northern New Guinea missed his war medals, which had reposed at the bottom of a box for many years.
The job seemed to be an “inside” one; but, on questioning his house staff, he could get no satisfaction at all. How long they had been missing from the box he was unable to tell. Knowing that they were not of much value to anyone, and that, if a native had them, he could not pass them off as coins, he more or lesa forgot the matter.
Recently, a Patrol Officer on the Sepik River was confronted by a native in a village with two heavy discs, and asked to exchange them for single “marks."
The officer, although himself not a re turned soldier, soon found them to be mutilated war medals. The parts carry ing the ribbons had been cut away and the edges filed down. Where the native got them from he was—as is usual In such cases—quite at a loss to explain.
Another native had simply given them to him.
The medals were confiscated and duly returned to the rightful owner.