Army veteran pleads for return of medals
Heartbroken ex-soldier is victim of cruel theft
A Gulf War veteran has made a desperate plea to be reunited with his treasured medals after they were stolen from his flat.
Dad-of-two Robert Brown returned from a walk with a friend recently to discover the door to his flat ajar.
And when he went in, the 50-year-old, from St Leonards, was heartbroken to find his war medals had been stolen.
Robert left the armed forces in 2012 after 22 years service, latterly with the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and was a physical training instructor for 17 of those years.
The medals taken include ones in service for the first Gulf War, tours of Northern Ireland, service in Basra in Iraq, the Queen Mother’s Golden Jubilee medal, long service for serving six years or more in an operational environment and a medal for long service and good conduct.
Robert, who served in the first Gulf War and was involved in the freedom of Kuwait, had taken to social media in the hope that the medals can be traced.
Left suffering PTSD because of his career, Robert said: “These medals mean so much to me.
“I just want them back. I have turned my flat upside down and they are nowhere to be seen.
“I have the miniatures, but the full campaign medals are gone. I would never willingly give them up. It’s not even to do with their value.
“I would do anything to try and get them back, they mean so much to me and I fought hard for them throughout my 22 years’ service.
“My plan was to put them in a frame along with another badge and plaque and keep them to be given to my daughters as a keepsake when I’m gone.”
Police say enquiries to find the seven medals – said to be worth thousands of pounds – are ongoing, but as of yet they are nowhere to be seen.
The incident happened on January 15 when Robert went out for a walk with friends.
When he came back, he noticed his flat door had been pushed open.
At first glance nothing looked to be missing until Robert sat down and noticed his medals – which sit on top of the DVD player – weren’t there.
Robert first joined the army in 1990 and signed up to the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, which later became the Royal Scots and then part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
He had spent just five days with his battalion after basic training and passing out when he was told he was heading to the first Gulf War.
“We were told ‘pack up, you’re going,’ and we were the first infantry regiment to arrive in the Gulf and the last one out,” he told us.
“I received various honours during my service, but I started to struggle about six months before I left. I was based in Dreghorn Barracks at the time.
“I was breaking down all the time, my mum passed away and I never got the time to grieve. In the army it’s the tough mentality. The mindset is just to get on with your work.
“Then when I was back in civvy street I didn’t know how to handle it. I just didn’t know how to handle all the emotions that were coming out. I eventually got help thanks to my brother, who is also in the army higher up.
“He contacted a senior officer and an army doctor was sent out to see me and he diagnosed me with PTSD. I suffer from insomnia and terrible nightmares among other things.”
Robert’s name is on each medal along with his regimental number – 24911120 – and he is asking anyone who comes across them to contact police.
Sergeant Scott Anderson said: “Enquiries are ongoing and pictures of items stolen have been circulated locally and on our briefing.
“Local pawn shops have also been visited with a negative result.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101.
Information can also be left anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.