Hadleigh man Pte Bertie Gowers who was killed in action on 17 July 1917 in the Ypres Salient was awarded two medals; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His grandson Peter Gowers only had possession of the War Medal and thought that the other medal had been lost forever.  15 years ago, great war enthusiast and medal collector David Gant was at a collectors fair in Kent when he spotted a WW1 Victory Medal. He bought the medal because he knew it once belonged to a Hadleigh man who lived on the same street as him.  When the Hadleigh Great War Centenary Project was launched in 2014, both Peter and David got in touch with the project at different times. It was only then that the connection was made and the idea to reunite the medals was born.   

15 years ago, great war enthusiast and medal collector David Gant was at a collectors fair in Kent when he spotted a WW1 Victory Medal. He bought the medal because he knew it once belonged to a Hadleigh man who lived on the same street as him.  When the Hadleigh Great War Centenary Project was launched in 2014, both Peter and David got in touch with the project at different times. It was only then that the connection was made and the idea to reunite the medals was born.   

The Gowers family are planning to repeat the pilgrimage on the 100th anniversary of his death.

David (centre of pictrure) very kindly offered to give the medal back to the Gowers' family.  The Gowers' family are extremely proud of Bertie and a few years ago organised a family pilgrimage to visit Bertie's final resting place at Larch Wood Cemetery near Ypres.

The Gowers family are planning to repeat the pilgrimage on the 100th anniversary of his death. They are delighted to have the missing medal back and thank David for his kind gesture.  This project is all about remembering those who gave all during that great struggle and I think it is safe to say that the memory of Bertie Gowers will be safe in the hands of the next generation of the Gowers family.