Balderton Branch members make a monthly visit to the Lancaster Grange Care Home, to meet and chat to veterans and other residents with military connections. During one such visit, late last year, Branch member and Assistant Welfare Officer, Chris Gangel, discovered that Beryl Mason, aged 95, whose father died in Italy in 1942, had never seen her father’s medals. Beryl was only eight when her father Frank Swift, went to war as a member of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars, a volunteer cavalry regiment in the Royal Artillery, working with 107 Royal Horse Artillery. An Acting Lance Bombardier, Frank served in the siege of Tobruk (in the Western Desert, May 1942) and the Battle of Knightsbridge (June 1942), but was taken as a POW by the Italians. He sadly died in the December, aged 35, and was buried in Milan War Cemetery.
Chris was determined to see something good come from this, so he did some research and found details of Frank’s military service, and of the medals which Frank had been awarded. He also discovered that, while Frank was at war, the family had moved house, and Beryl believes his medals had been sent to the old address. Chris and Jim Robinson, the HWO, searched for and acquired the appropriate medals, which were: the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, and War Medal 1939-45. They managed to locate originals which had been cast at the time of the war and arranged for them to be framed.
On her 94th birthday, the Care Home arranged a special birthday party for Beryl, attended by all the residents and many of the staff, as well as Branch representatives Chris, Jim, Brian Hughes (Chairman) and Nigel Branston (President), at which the medals were presented. The Branch also arranged for the attendance of Colonel Tim Richmond OBE TD DL, the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, and Lt Col Richard King (currently serving with the Regiment), who presented Beryl with a copy of a painting of the Battle of Knightsbridge, and an original South Notts Hussars badge, identical to that which her father would have worn. Beryl, almost overcome by emotion, was overjoyed at the gifts, and of the memories of her father.
Presenting the medals to Beryl are (L to R): Care Home Entertainments Manager Charlotte Thomas; Lt Col King; RAFA member Chris Gangel; and Col Tim Richmond.
