Navy Community Helps Replace WWII Veteran's Stolen Medals

The naval community has helped replace a Second World War veteran's stolen medals.

Denis Gregory, who survived the Atlantic Convoys and kamikaze attacks in the Far East, had his military decorations stolen during a burglary at his home in Sheffield.

After the news was shared on a Facebook group for Royal Navy aircraft carriers and their crews, two enthusiasts offered to provide replacements.

Other members of the online community suggested a formal re-presentation of the decorations to the 93-year-old veteran.

Denis Gregory earned the 1939-45 Atlantic and Burma Stars, as well as the 1939-45 War Medal for his service between 1943 and 1946.

Royal Marine drummers marched down the street where Mr Gregory lives and the Navy's Regional Commander for the North of England, Commodore Phil Waterhouse, awarded the veteran his new medals during a socially-distanced ceremony.

"The story of Denis having his medals stolen and the community coming together to reconstitute them and coming up with this small ceremony is wonderful," Cdre Waterhouse said.

"I feel truly proud – and rather humbled – to be asked to present them to Denis."

Mr Gregory's son, Robert, said to be "really grateful to everyone concerned" with the re-awarding of the medals to his father.

"It is very important that I should have these," Mr Gregory, who was moved to tears, said.

"Not everyone claimed them after the war, but I did."

Much of his wartime service was spent aboard carrier HMS Indefatigable.

He was aboard in March 1944, when the legendary aviator Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown landed a twin-engined Mosquito on the deck for the first time.

Fourteen months later he was a member of the fire party which responded to a Japanese suicide bomber smashing into the deck during the invasion of Okinawa in April 1945.

Twenty-one of Mr Gregory's shipmates perished in the attack.

Cover image: Royal Navy.