It took 57 years, but a former United States Marine who lost his wallet in Wellington has it back.
Louise Alliston was shifting a couch she bought two years ago into her new home in June when she noticed a bulge in one of the arms, which turned out to be
a wallet full of photos, news clippings from 1943 and the identification cards of a US Marine, Chuck Herrler, who was then aged 19.
After a fruitless internet search for Mr Herrler's address, she sent the wallet to the United States Embassy, which tracked him down to his hometown of Mendota, Illinois.
This month she received a letter and clippings from Illinois newspapers on the return of the wallet. "He said it was very emotional," said Ms Alliston. "It brought back lots of memories."
