The following may help Mr Lomas with his search for the history of the medal he is holding (Gazette, April 25, 'Military Cross hero's tragic fate is revealed')
The medal is a Canadian Memorial Cross, which was presented to the relatives (wives or mothers) of deceased Canadian forces and is not a gallantry medal as such.
There are four versions GR1 cypher (1914-1919), GV1R (1940-1945), GV1R (1945-1952) and QE11 Korea and later conflicts.
The one Mr Lomas is holding looks like a 1914-1919 type and would normally carry his Regimental number, rank and name on the reverse and I wonder whether the first lady who gave it to Mrs Dickinson who then gave it to Mr Lomas was related to Mr Duxbury.
I hope that this helps in some small way to get to the bottom of the mystery as these medals were the ones that no family wanted to receive.
Roger Millray
Old Hutton
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