War veteran appeals for lost medal

A day which was meant to rekindle memories for war heroes turned into a major disappointment for Joseph Portelli who realised he had lost the war medal he had been proudly displaying.

Mr Portelli, 84, was shocked and disappointed when he returned to his home in Msida on Sunday morning after attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in Valletta. One of the five war medals he had been awarded for serving in the British army had come unpinned from his blazer.

"I appeal to anybody who could help me find the medal, even though it might not be easy," Mr Portelli told The Times.

Mr Portelli is trying to retrace his steps to find his medal, which bears the words National Service. He is one of the few Maltese who possesses such a decoration. He first attended the ceremony at St John's Co-Cathedral, before walking on to the Palace and then to the War Memorial in Floriana.

The rain poured incessantly during the ceremony on Poppy Day, which is celebrated on November 11, marking the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the signing of Armistice on November 11, 1918, signalling the end of World War 1.

In his late teens Mr Portelli was enrolled in the National Service of Malta and then with the British army before being dispatched to the East African forces. He served in several African countries between 1941 and 1946, including Eritrea and Egypt, before being sent to serve in India.

Although the availability of medals for wartime service was widely advertised at the time, many people, for a variety of reasons, did not take up the offer. Even now, nearly 60 years later, several hundred veterans, or their next of kin, still make a claim for Second World War medals, according to the British Ministry of Defence.

Once medals are issued they become the sole responsibility of the original recipient, or his next of kin and will not be replaced by the Ministry of Defence if they are lost.

The only exception to this rule is if the medals are stolen or accidentally destroyed beyond the control of the owner, for example in a house fire.

Anyone finding the medal may contact Mr Portelli on 2131 2588.