Based at the Beersheba Living Museum, Parklands Drive North Maleny, members of the 5th Light Horse Regiment, Maleny Troop have shared the fascinating back-story behind their most recent museum information board project.
Rob Werry, Troop Commander of the 5th Light Horse Regiment said a couple of years previously a woman in North Queensland had stumbled upon a military medal sticking out of the sand. She then forwarded the medal to her son who noticed the markings 5th L.H. Regt. A Google search directed him to 5th L.H. Maleny Troop.
“During a phone conversation he was keen to send us the medal with the hope that we can uncover who the original owner was and his descendants,” explained Rob.
Many long months of research revealed The King George V Long Service medal issued for 20 years of service belonged to S.S.M O.E Jones – Oliver Edwin Jones (Service No 276), pictured, who enlisted 01/09/1914 aged 36 before departing Australia on the 24/09/1914 on board the Star of England bound for Egypt then on to Gallipoli.
“Due to the lack of records, it can only be assumed that after returning from the war Mr. Jones joined the 5th Light Horse in Gayndah and thus became eligible for this most unusual award,” explained Rob.
In a bid to find his descendants, Troop secretary Lee Dominick put out a radio call for the family members of Edwin Jones and said the story just snowballed from there. She said she was contacted by numerous family members around the country wanting the medal, however after lengthy discussions the decision was made to donate the medal to a miliary museum.
The rare medal was eventually presented to the Victoria Barracks Museum in Brisbane last year at formal handing over ceremony attended by troop members and various descendants of Oliver Edwin Jones. Lee said it was an amazing feeling to have the medal reunited with Edwin’s family.
Rob said the handover ceremony was something of mixed emotions, feeling proud of the efforts behind the excellent outcome but at the same time very humble. Beersheba Living Museum is open on the last Sunday of the month, to find out more
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Main image: Descendants of Oliver Edwin Jones medal at presentation
