Anzac Day took an unexpected turn this year for a member of the public and two Tāmaki Makaurau Motorway Patrol officers.
Senior Constable Errol Diprose and Constable Matthew Riley were called into action after a member of the public lost his grandfather’s war medals on Auckland’s Northern Motorway.
The North Shore-based man had attended the ANZAC Day dawn service with his young family before driving home. A short time later, he headed back out - and as he drove, something falling on to the road caught his eye in his rear vision mirror.
Checking to ensure he had his wallet and phone, he remembered placing his grandfather’s treasured war medals on the roof of his vehicle while securing his young children in their car seats.
With a sinking heart he realised that it was the medals that had flown off the car roof. Unbelievably they had survived the trip home from the service, but not the second outing.
Unsure who to call, he phoned Police for advice, giving precise information about where and when the medals flew off the roof and a detailed description of what they looked like.
Errol and Matthew were tasked with helping to search for the irreplaceable medals, so they contacted the man and got a photo of them.
The officers conducted a rolling block to slow traffic and enable the search and, within minutes, they retrieved three of the four medals. The fourth medal remains at large.
“I’m amazed and humbled by the effort Police went to, to retrieve my grandfather’s war medals,” says the man.
“I wasn’t sure who to call, or what to do, and didn’t hold much hope of getting them back. Police’s response was so quick and I’m so relieved to have three of them returned – only hours after I lost them.”
Errol says the medals were scattered along the shoulder of the motorway and in the carriageway.
“We managed to find three of the four medals but unfortunately, they had been struck by several vehicles when we found them.
“We were pleased to be able to return them to the family, and it would be great if we were able to retrieve the fourth medal as we know they hold so much sentimental value and will remain in the family for generations to come.”
The North Shore man is grateful to Police for the huge effort and quick response and is making enquiries about how to restore the medals to their former glory in honour of his grandad.