Heartbreak after medals stolen in Otaki

MEMORY: Annette Hodgson holds a photo of her father and her when she was a baby. Not long afterwards he was killed in World War II.

Message to the burglar who stole two very sentimental medals from a house in Otaki: please return them.

Annette Hodgson was devastated when someone stole two New Zealand Memorial Cross's from her State Highway 1 home, soon after she had gone overseas to visit her father's war grave.

Both medals have a strong personal connection to Annette and she hopes whoever took them will put them in her letterbox.

On 18 April 1945, shortly before World War Two ended, her father Captain Alexander James Young, nicknamed Lex, who was with the 27th Battalion, and his driver Norm Carswell, were shot and killed by German snipers from the 4th Parachute Regiment who they had fought in Greece.

Both bodies were laid to rest in the Allied War Graves Cemetery in Forli, Italy.

Alexander's mother and wife would each receive a New Zealand Memorial Cross, which were awarded to them after his death.

Both medals, with Capt A.J.Young inscribed on the back of each, were later handed down to Annette who has treasured them ever since.

STOLEN: Two New Zealand Memorial Cross's similar to this, have been stolen in Otaki.

One of the medals is in its original box with a card from King George VI and has a purple ribbon with it, the other was by itself with a silver chain.

On May 15 this year, Annette left to visit her father's grave for the first time; seeing the grave was "totally liberating".

Two days after she left, and on her birthday, someone burgled her house.

Among items stolen were the two crosses.

"I felt stabbed through the heart.

"These medals are of huge significance to me and no one else."

She's holding onto the slim chance of being reunited with medals.

"They can be anonymously returned to my letterbox and no questions will be asked."