A Brisbane woman has been reunited with her great-uncle's World War I medals, nearly nine years after they were stolen from her home in Eight Mile Plains. Annemarie Campbell broke down in tears as police returned the heirlooms in an emotional handover.
The medals belonged to her great-uncle Cecil and were taken during a break-in in 2017. While some stolen items were later recovered, the medals remained missing until Campbell's son spotted them listed for auction online. Police intervened just in time to retrieve them.
“I’m overcome. I never ever thought I’d ever see these again at all,” Campbell said. “And to be able to show them to my grandchildren now.” She described the police as “angels” for their efforts.
Acting Sergeant Michael Mayrseidl recalled the original burglary, saying, “My heart went out to her at the time just to see the damage that had been wrought, not just in material terms, but to memories.”
While the medals are valued at only a few hundred dollars online, they are priceless to Campbell and her family as symbols of service and heritage.
