On Friday, October 28, Paul Shaw, a volunteer assisting in the removable of rubbish from flood-damaged houses in Mooroopna, was on his fifth trailer load of rubbish for the tip. As he threw a pile of rubbish from a house into his trailer, a bit of mud brushed off a package.
Paul noticed the package contained two badly water-damaged photos, damaged World War II medals, badly water-damaged ribbon for the medals and some other WWII items.
Paul did not want to send them to the tip, as he believed them to be of value to someone. Paul contacted the Shepparton RSL for advice on what he should do with his unusual find.
The RSL advised him to ring Shepparton RSL memorabilia co-ordinator Mark Stephens, which he did.
The following day, Mark inspected the items and informed Paul that he could restore all the items, but that it would not be cheap. Paul then informed Mark of the circumstances around the items, in that they belonged to a local flood victim who had lost everything, and that the medals were on the way to the tip, and Mark immediately said the RSL Memorabilia team would restore all the items at no cost.
The original ribbons on all the medals were so badly damaged that none could be saved. All new ribbon had to be obtained from a special military ribbon supplier in Sydney.
Once the ribbon arrived from Sydney, Mark was then able to restore all six medals with the correct new coloured ribbon. All the other WWII memorabilia items found by Paul were also restored by the RSL memorabilia team.
Once all the restoration work had been completed, everything was then mounted and framed. Mark then researched the medals and established who they belonged to. Four of the WWII medals were issued to Corporal Ambrose Lionel Repacholi, Royal Australian Air Force. Two of the WWII medals were issued to Signaller Lorna May Teitz, Australian Women’s Army Service.
Cpl Repacholi had married Signaller Teitz during WWII, and both sets of medals belonged to their son, Colin Repacholi, of Mooroopna.
Cpl Repacholi’s medals, which include a Returned from Active Service Badge and RAAF 86 Squadron badge, and medals awarded to Signaller Repacholi (née Teitz), a Female Relative Badge and WWII General Service Badge, were all refurbished, framed and returned to the original owner by Shepparton RSL president Bob Wilkie, memorabilia co-ordinator Mark Stephens and memorabilia team members Arnold Warburton, Alan Nichols and John Harrington on Thursday, November 10 at the Shepparton RSL.
Thanks to the initiative of Paul Shaw and the Shepparton RSL, a magnificent ending was achieved by the restoration of two sets of WWII medals and memorabilia that could have vanished for ever.
Colin was overwhelmed by the time and effort that Paul and the Shepparton RSL had put in to return his parents’ medals.