A SPECIAL medallion for service in World War I was donated to the Frankston RSL on Remembrance Day.
The medal was awarded to William Mark Hanton by Frankston citizens after his return from the war. The gift was thought lost for decades after it was stolen in the 1950s but ended up reunited with Hanton’s family in 2020.
The medal was found by a memorabilia collector. Hanton’s granddaughter, Margaret Harrington, said “after viewing the medallion we agreed to buy it as we wanted it to be returned to the family and to the city of Frankston. In the late 1950s my grandparents’ home on The Esplanade in Frankston was robbed and I believe this item was one of many stolen at that time. Our grandmother didn’t realise it was missing and her grandchildren were unaware of it. We are all thankful that it has now come home.”
The Frankston RSL’s 11 November ceremony also featured the naming of its veterans and family’s hub. It was named the Dr. Akeroyd Veterans and Families Wellbeing Hub.