Medal mystery solved

A group of World War I medals have found their rightful home in Masterton thanks to some detective work by a Dunedin woman.

Recently Kathleen Petrie (nee Tait) and her sister Alison Tait, both of Dunedin, made a whirlwind trip to Masterton to present their cousin John Tait with the long-lost medals.

It all began when keen genealogist Kathleen discovered three medals - the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal - among her father's belongings after he died.

"The medals were in a plastic bag among my father's things. At first I thought they were Dad's because he had fought in World War II, but when I realised they weren't I decided to research this soldier ancestor of ours."

After searching both the Past Papers and Auckland War Memorial websites, Kathleen quickly found they had been awarded to one Kenneth James Tait - her father Robert's first cousin and John Tait's uncle.

The son of James and Alice Tait, Kenneth was born in Wellington but was educated in Auckland. On passing his the Senior Civil Service exam he was appointed to the head office of the Labour Department in Wellington, and was an officer there at the time of his enlistment. He was also a member of the Kelburn Presbyterian Bible class which enlisted en masses immediately war was declared.

An Evening Post newspaper report, dated April 3 1918, reads: "He was one of the first people in New Zealand to join up. Prior to that, he took a keen interest in the Territorials, in which branch of the service he held the rank of sergeant. He was a champion rifle shot. After serving at Samoa, he returned to New Zealand and immediately offered himself for further service at the seat of war."

After gaining a commission as second lieutenant, he left with the Auckland Mounted Rifles and fought in Egypt, and was killed in action in Palestine on March 23, 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross posthumously, and the citation read: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During an attack he led his troop with great gallantry and skill over ground exposed by heavy machine-gun fire. He showed magnificent leadership and skill."

The medal was presented to Kenneth's mother, Alice.

Intrigued by her ancestor's wartime exploits, Kathleen set about trying to track down the whereabouts of the missing Military Cross. Records show that after Kenneth's parents died, the medals were sent on to the family's oldest surviving member, as per military protocol, and in this case it was John's uncle Erland in 1922.

Kathleen says her next step was to contact the Waiouru Army Museum.

"I told them I was investigating some family history and that I was looking for the whereabouts of Kenneth James Tait's Military Cross. They told me that quite coincidently they had received an email from Kerry Hoggard, in Otaki, and he had it. Apparently the medal had been in the possession of John's late father's defacto wife. She had died and her friend, who happened to be the sister of Kerry Hoggard, had it."

Says John: "My parents divorced shortly after World War II and I lost touch with my father's side of the family. But I remember seeing the medal as a young boy - my father kept it in a drawer and it was obviously very special to him and he treasured it."

A car trip over to Otaki saw the Military Cross safely back in Tait family hands - something the cousins are all proud.

"With John being the oldest surviving family member, it is fitting the medals should stay here," Kathleen says.