TOPIC:

Searching for missing medals from my Great Uncle Ernest Jeffs. They were left in Trust with NZDF when he died in 1947, I applied for his medal and was informed by NZDF that it was misplaced. Cape Colony and South Africa 1901 bars.

Also misplaced WW1 medals and WW2 medals.

Hi Phil,

The missing of the above medals that you have described sounds as though it might be more a family issue than one of the New Zealand Defence Force. The below news story with relevant link is an article that tells of another individual by the same name (Phillip Jeffs) in November 2017 locating his great uncle's Ernest Jeffs' military medals and taking ownership of them.



THE war medals of an Anzac soldier who, incredibly, served in the Boer War, World War I, and World War II have been returned to his family at Sunshine. 

Phillip Jeffs said he made the extraordinary discovery of his great uncle Ernest Jeffs’ military record after making inquiries with the New Zealand Defence Force Archives and Medals Office. “I was watching the Anzac Day march in 2016 when I wondered if Grandpa’s brothers had been to World War I,” Mr Jeffs said. That curiosity led to a remarkable finding.  Ernest Jeffs was born in England in 1881, and moved to New Zealand in 1908.

He volunteered to fight in the Boer War, in South Africa, in 1899, as a Kaffarian rifleman, at age 18.

He was aged 34 when he fought at Gallipoli in World War I. And he was aged 64 when he completed the “rare trifecta” by fighting in World War II.  Ernest Jeffs passed away in 1947, two years after World War II. “I discovered that Ernest didn’t have any children. He married, but was divorced. That’s why the medals had been kept for him in trust with the New Zealand Defence Force,” Mr Jeffs said. The medals include The Queen’s South Africa Medal (1899-1902) for the Boer War; The Gallipoli Commemorative Medal, The British War Medal, The 1914-15 Star and The Victory Medal (1914-1918) for service in World War I; and the New Zealand War Medal and New Zealand Service Medal (1939-1945) for service in World War II.

“I’m just so happy and relieved that Ernest won’t be forgotten, and his memory and achievements will live on in the Jeffs’ family,” Mr Jeffs said.  The family plans to have Ernest’s medals mounted with his photographs. Mr Jeffs said it was difficult to comprehend how wars could occupy such a large proportion of one man’s life.  “I’m just so proud of him. I was quite sentimental, actually,” Mr Jeffs said. “He must have loved it [serving in wars]. He sounds like an adventurous young bloke who wanted to see the world which, no doubt, he did.”  There is still much to be learned about Ernest’s story, and Mr Jeffs is determined to uncover as much as he can.

“I know he was only a painter and wallpaper hanger, by trade, but I get the sense he was a bit of a player-upper and a wag,” Mr Jeffs said. “I’d say he was a bit of a wild boy to volunteer at just 18 to fight in the Boer War.”  Like so many soldiers, Ernest fell victim to dysentery in World War I. He was forced to leave Gallipoli and was hospitalised in England. He recovered and returned to march on to France and the Western Front for the rest of the war. Ernest stood just 168cm (5ft 6 inches). “So he must have had plenty of ticker,” Mr Jeffs said.

“I think old Uncle Ernie was a doer, and a real adventure seeker.”




Trev

Amazing find - it does not need a clincher but the photo does just that. Phil should post the photo of him later in life - to look at it you would find it hard to believe that he had fought in 3 wars.

Hello Smethwick and Trev, I will include a photo of Ernest Jeffs at a young age and an older age soon for you but he is not in his latter years as I only have obtained what was given to me. Actually his younger age photo is in my newspaper story that you have put up here on this site, the story and the photo is of me Phil Jeffs of Sunshine NSW Australia.

I have asked on here for the missing medals of Ernest Jeffs that the NZDF misplaced, which in fact happened and I would dearly want them back. When the NZDF found they were gone after I applied for them they offered me replacement medals which I received in the post, but they are not his medals and I would love to return their replacement medals if my Great Uncles should come home to me. The medals in the newspaper are the replacement medals.

The story written in the newspaper stated that Ernest went off to war 3 times. When I was being interviewed I informed the reporter that Ernest applied for Overseas duty 3 times, and these are the medals he received , but he wrote in his story Ernest was over there in the 3 wars.

Ernest did in fact enlist for overseas duty in WW2 as I have his application for enlistment and I presume because of his age was knocked back and was joined up into the home guard till retirement

Ernest’s records I hold of engagement are at Boer War enlisting in England, now, thanks to David, then enlisting in NZ for WW1 and joining ANZAC at Egypt for training before Gallipoli, then after Gallipoli off to the Western Front, time overseas 1914/1918. Then finally enlisting in NZ for WW2 for overseas duty. I will send photos of all of these for your information.

I hope this clears up my story if not tell me.

Do I just hit attachments below to add my photos please.

Thank you for help in my searches

Phil Jeffs.

I for one would love to see close-up photos of the medals you were sent, especially the naming of the QSA on the rim.

Not certain if this is the best place to post medal auction results
Todays hammer prices at Clevedon Salerooms
QSAs to
T R Shaw Army Service Corps £100
Dr F Rose 18 Battalion Royal Field Artillery £220
John Witts 1st Gloucester £130
QSA & KSA to
C Jones South Wales Borderers £220

All bought by a local collector with nearly 100 Boer War medals which l am hoping to see soon
Clive