War memorabilia stolen

A Marlborough family’s war medals have been stolen after a museum collection in a shipping container was broken into.

The Flaxbourne Museum collection has been stored in two shipping containers in Ward, since the earthquake redstickered its building in 2016.

But last week, the locks on the containers were found broken, with historical artefacts found strewn around the long grass and some boxes missing.

World War II medals belonging to Arthur Ernest Wooding were taken, along with his Holy Communion book, sewing kit and binoculars from time served with the 36th Battalion.

Wooding’s daughter Gill Owen said she was ‘‘gutted’’ when she heard the news.

‘‘It’s a bit gut wrenching, but it happened,’’ Owen said. ‘‘There’s nothing you can do about it.’’

A lantern from a shipwreck off the coast of Ward in the early 1900s, a cornet that was played in the Ward band before 1905 and an inkwell used at Ward school were among the items stolen.

Flaxbourne Heritage trustee Sally Peter and a local farmer went to check on the containers and collect a few boxes on November 27, when she found the locks and fence had been cut.

‘‘It’s a violation,’’ Peter said. ‘‘It’s sacred. It’s someone’s memories and someone’s personal history, it shouldn’t be tampered with.’’

She reported the incident to police and they had been to the scene to take fingerprints, Peter said.

Since the break-in, they had removed the more precious items which were being stored at the Blenheim Museum. Photographs had not been stored in the containers. They had been ‘‘struggling’’ for three years to reach a point where they could rebuild the Flaxbourne Heritage Centre, she said. The Flaxbourne Heritage Trust was created in October to help the project move forward.

Catholic parishioners had gifted the site of the old Catholic Church, which was also damaged in the earthquake, for the rebuild.

Owen said her father was raised in Ward, in what she understood was one of the first houses built in the area. The farm was about 3 kilometres south of the township.

She said her father had been in a brass band in the region and all the instruments were stored in their garage.

‘‘It’s someone’s memories and someone’s personal history, it shouldn’t be tampered with.’’

Sally Peter Flaxbourne Heritage trustee

Clockwise from top left: World War II medals, a Holy Communion book, goggles and a sewing kit belonging to Arthur Ernest Wooding, along with a cornet from the early 1900s, were among items stolen from a museum collection.