A FORMER British soldier who was stationed in the North of Ireland at the height of the Troubles has been reunited with his service medal just hours before it was due to be auctioned.
Adrian Horne was a member of the Royal Regiment of Wales and was posted in the North of Ireland between 1973 and 1974.
During this time, Mr Horne witnessed the Maze Prison fire and the shipbuilders’ strike – a time when many soldiers were mortally wounded in battle.
He was awarded a GSM Queen Elizabeth II Northern Ireland medal for his military service in Ulster.
But last month Mr Horne was shocked to discover that his medal, which he had assumed was in his attic, was up for sale at a Yorkshire auction.
“I was mystified when I was told my medal was being advertised in an auction because I thought it was in my attic,” he said.
“The only thing we can think is that it was stolen during a burglary in the 1990s but I never realised it was missing.”
The Cardiff man reported it to South Wales Police, who liaised with South Yorkshire Police to stop the auction going ahead.
The seller had inherited the medal and immediately relinquished ownership when hearing about Mr Horne’s service.
“It’s not something I have on display, but it’s something that I know I have, and I am absolutely over the moon to have it back – thank you,” Mr Horne said.
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