Can you help to identify heroes?

A Northumberland resident is asking for help with identification, as there is a Berwickshire link to at least one of the two men, after purchasing some Second World War memorabilia.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Dec 2021, 10:34 BST
The memorabilia includes medals and other items.The memorabilia includes medals and other items.
The memorabilia includes medals and other items.

This followed her being told by the dealer last year that the RAF pilot pictured survived the war but outlived his family, dying without anyone to leave the memorabilia to. Gail Everitt recently returned to the shop to obtain the items when a friend agreed to buy them with her.

Gail, who lives near Hexham, said: “We have five medals, ‘veteran’ badge, dog tags, photograph, forage cap, the original box in which the medals were posted, RAF sweetheart brooch and an RAF cap badge.

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“The dog tags have JA Gray 7516670 printed on them and the address on the medal box is ’Ryslaw’ 20 North Street, Berwick-on-Tweed.

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The photograph of the RAF pilot.The photograph of the RAF pilot.
The photograph of the RAF pilot.

“It was the return address on the box (Medical Services & ATS) that suggested that the medals and dog tags belong to a soldier rather than an RAF pilot.

“Ryslaw seems to be the name of a village or hamlet that sadly no longer exists. In today’s maps, Ryslaw would have been located between Fogo and Swinton Mill. lndeed there is an address in Duns of Ryslaw Farm Cottages.

“We have contacted several museums including the IWM, Winchester and Wings Aviation Museums, and we also hope that someone will read this story and maybe recognise the two men so that we can remember these brave heroes.”

If you have any information that can help Gail with this, send her an email – [email protected]

Related topics:RAFNorthumberlandBerwickshire