Family of hero veteran reunited with his war medal after it was stolen during burglary
THE family of a war hero whose medal was stolen during a burglary have been reunited with it - 50 years later.
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Douglas Higham was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1945 after completing more than 160 engagements during the war effort.
He helped evacuate 78 soldiers from the Souda beach in Crete, rescued King Peter and the royal family of Yugoslavia and was involved in the Battle of Cape Matapan.
But his gong, along with a letter of congratulations from King George VI, were swiped during a raid at Douglas' home address in 1964 by heartless burglars, who were never caught.
Mr Higham spent years trying to find the medal but died in 1986 from lung cancer, aged 66, without ever knowing what happened to his treasured possession.
His eldest son, John, 73, had given up hope of seeing it again but was stunned when he was contacted by a dealer on Ancestry.com three weeks ago.
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I think my dad would be amazed. He always said he wanted to find it
The dealer requested photos of John's dad to include as part of a blog on fallen soldiers and also mentioned he was selling old medals, including a DFC.
This prompted John, from Standish, Lancashire, to ask about the medal which amazingly turned out to be his dad's.
He paid £1,450 to buy the medal, which is inscribed with his father's initials, along with the letter from the King and papers about his war service.
He said: "I think my dad would be amazed. He always said he wanted to find it. He thought somebody would sell it because it had his name on."
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"I have always looked for it. Since computers have been about, you can search for these things and I have always searched for DD Higham and there was nothing.
"It's absolutely marvellous to have it back. My brother and sisters were delighted. Everybody is so pleased - it's not just our family but everyone we tell.
"It's a long time to have wanted something. What the dealer said to me is he'd had it for a month and had bought it from a trade dealer in South Wales.
"The point is if he bought it in good faith, the good faith system does not allow you to say that's mine I want it back.
"Medals are quite saleable, they weren't to know that it wasn't my dad who initially sold it."
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"To be honest I know it's a slump of cash but I'm not bothered. The medal didn't cost as much as other DFC's."
John asked how the dealer got the DFC but is not confident he will be able to find out where it has been for the past 50 years.
Mr Higham, known as Dougie, was one of six brothers who served in the Second World War.
He joined the RAF in 1939 aged 18 and spent three years in the Middle East, flying out from Alexandria.
In 1943 he was sent back to England to be trained as a flying officer and joined up with the 514 squadron, which was based in Cambridgeshire.
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He went on bombing raids across Germany, working as a rear gunner.
He was awarded the DFC in 1945 for his "determination and continued devotion to duty" after completing more than 160 sorties, some of which saw the aircraft hit.
Dougie returned to Wigan after being demobbed and worked as a fruiterer and florist, eventually having shops across the borough.
His brothers also returned and one, William, later left money in his will to pay for military bands to perform at Mesnes Park.
