World War One medal returned to right family

A World War One medal has been returned after being in the possession of the wrong family for generations.

Ian Lofthouse discovered the medal, awarded to Private Albert W Dove of the Yorkshire Hussars, amongst his mother's items during a recent house move.

After he approached Wheatley Hill History Club, in County Durham, it was discovered Mr Dove had been employed as a putter at Thornley pit when he enlisted in the army. He was killed in 1916 at the Battle of the Somme, leaving behind a wife and daughter.

Now the medal has been returned to Mr Dove's descendant, Gary Mains, who said he was "extremely proud and honoured".

Members of the history club tried to establish if the two families were related, with Mr Lofthouse being a descendant of the Atkinson family of Wheatley Hill.

Mr Lofthouse's grandfather also worked at Thornley pit before the First World War, but was exempt from war duties due to injury.

It is believed the pair worked together and the two families were friends, with Mrs Dove giving the British War Medal to the Atkinson family after her husband's death.

One of the club's military historians knew members of the Dove family in Thornley and contacted them about the medal.

Mr Mains, related to Mr Dove through his mother's side, was presented with the medal on Thursday at the Wheatley Hill war memorial which bears his ancestor's name.

He said it was a "privilege and honour" to receive the medal and he was looking forward to mounting the medal in a display at the family's home in commemoration of their killed relative.

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