Soldier's son finds his father's war medal on eBay 40 years after he lost it while moving house
- Terry Snow accidentally sold father Gilbert's World War One 'Victory Medal'
- Spent 40 years trying to find distinctive pip, featuring his father's initials
- Spotted medal for sale on eBay on January 4 - day of his 75th birthday
- Immediately paid £23 to buy it back from medal collector in Lincoln
A grandfather has found his soldier father's war medal - more than 40 years after he accidentally sold it while moving house.
Terry Snow, 75, was distraught when he realised he had lost his father Gilbert's World War One 'Victory Medal' during the move in the early 1970s.
But after spotting the medal for sale on eBay, he has now paid £23 to buy it back.
Discovery: Terry Snow, 75, has found his father's war medal - 40 years after he lost it while moving house
Honour: His father Gilbert (left) was awarded the 'Victory Medal' (right) following his service in World War One
Long-awaited return: After spotting the medal for sale on eBay (pictured), Mr Snow has paid £23 to buy it back
Mr Snow, from Cullompton, Devon, came across the treasured item on January 4 - the day of his 75th birthday.
The distinctive pip - engraved with his father's initials - was being sold by a medal collector 250 miles away in Lincoln.
'I have wanted to find the medal for so many years, so it is fantastic to have it back,' said Mr Snow.
'I couldn’t believe it when I opened eBay up on the morning of my birthday and saw it there - it was a great feeling.
Family: Mr Snow (pictured far right with, from left, his brother Norman, father Gilbert and mother Grace) came across the medal on January 4 - the day of his 75th birthday. It was being sold by a medal collector in Lincoln
Achievement: Gilbert Snow's entitlement form for the personalised 'Victory Medal'. He died in the early 1970s
'After it went missing I never thought I’d see it again. I have no idea how it ended up all the way in Lincoln.'
'I messaged the seller straight away who told me I could have it for £23 including postage and packaging.
'It’s unbelievable really that it turned up on my birthday - it was all very emotional.'
During World War One, Mr Snow's father Gilbert served with the Middlesex Regiment.
He fought in the Battle of Amiens as a Lewis Gunner - a soldier who used a light machine gun called a Lewis Gun.
Treasured possession: The medal (left) is engraved with the initials of Mr Snow's father, who served with the Middlesex Regiment. Right, Mr Snow, from Devon, said the discovery had been 'unbelievable' and 'emotional'
He was later awarded the 'Victory Medal' - an honour given to servicemen who fought in World War One.
Following his father's death in the early 1970s, Mr Snow had kept his father's insignia at his house in Exeter, Devon.
However, he accidentally sold the medal, along with hundreds of other items, when moving house.
For the next four decades, he searched antique fairs and internet sites for the medal - before discovering it for sale on eBay earlier this month.
The grandfather of three said the eBay seller had told him he had purchased the item, along with several other medals, from an antiques fair in Lincoln.
However, despite his emotional find, Mr Snow's search for his father’s memorabilia continues as he is still trying to track down the soldier's British War Medal, which remains missing.
- Family confronted about realistic Halloween decorations
- Mum films 'goblin' running across floor...but is it real?
- Guitar shaped mansion goes on the auction block for $1
- Chinese train pervert caught on camera rubbing up to woman
- 92-yr-old woman's poem on life is bringing millions to tears
- Terrifying moment bomb explodes in Ankara during peace rally
- Indiana frat dismantled after members filmed in sex act
- Cute baby Jaxon practices saying 'I love you'
- Trump brings Hispanic superfan on stage at Vegas event
- Video of Steven Assanti shows him 'abusing hospital staff'
- Shia LaBeouf arrested in Austin for erratic behavior
- Police release CCTV of suspects who stabbed Spencer Stone
- The most tasteless Halloween display EVER: ISIS-themed...
- Halloween fun or sick and twisted? Family hang 'corpse'...
- Going for a song! The Alabama guitar house that was on the...
- EXCLUSIVE: Multi-millionaire's 'gold-digger' bit-part...
- Saying goodbye to his tragic lover: Jim Carrey carries...
- 'I'm not about to hire you if your name is Watermelondrea':...
- Freshman shooter who shot dead one Delta Chi frat brother...
- After the split, will Pippa go back to her old flame?...
- Elite cop and Navy SEAL vet who works day and night to...
- Amish girl, 12, is 'cancer free' two years after her family...
- Lonely world of the wife Tom Jones humiliated: After star...
- EXCLUSIVE: It's Chelsea vs Huma! The two competitive,...