Precious medals back home

Maureen Paviour, Napier, has had her war medals returned after a recent burglary. She was in the garden when she found a paper bag with them in it. She took a photo of the bag and phoned the police. Photo / Warren Buckland

More than 100 years of history and honour for three of New Zealand's 20th century war heroes has been returned in a paper bag to their rightful owner.

Maureen Paviour, 73, was holidaying on Stewart Island earlier this month and returned last Thursday to find her Tamatea home raided and car stolen.

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The thieves took at least 10 war medals from three of Ms Paviour's family members, including her father Wilfred Paul Bull, a highly decorated Royal New Zealand Air Force veteran who fought throughout the Pacific theatre during World War II.

However, in what Ms Paviour described as a "blessing", the medals were returned on Sunday in a green and gold striped paper bag and tossed on her front lawn.

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"I went to church in the morning and when I returned I thought I'd just have a walk around the garden and see the roses. Then I noticed the paper bag near the footpath."

She was "overjoyed" to find the medals inside, four of which belonged to her father, including the Pacific Star, 1939-45 Star, World War II Medal and New Zealand Service War Medal.

Five medals belonged to her uncle Charles Henry Sebelin, who was a farmer in Eketahuna, before joining the New Zealand Infantry and fighting during World War II in the North African and Italian campaigns as a sniper. He was awarded the Africa Star, Italy Star, 1939-45 Star, World War II Medal and New Zealand Service War Medal.

Also stolen was her grandfather's, Thomas Sebelin, 113-year-old Boer War service medal.

She said Saturday's Hawke's Bay Today report on the stolen medals had certainly "done some good" and was grateful the tributes for "the men who fought for us" were not further tarnished.

Ms Paviour, who before the burglary was also catching up with friends in Akaroa whom she had met at Gallipoli last year, said police had recovered a total of 13 medals and an army veterans bar in the paper bag.

"I must have under-counted, there was a bar in there as well - They [police] have taken the bag away to do their testing on it and will let me know when they have the results," she said.