Royal NZ RSA launches urgent audit in wake of recent memorabilia loses
Stella Smithonly has replicas of her husband's WWII medals after originals were lost by the Timaru RSA, prompting a national audit.
The national RSA will launch an urgent, national audit after precious war memorabilia on loan from families was lost.
Last week, the South Canterbury chapter admitted it had lost medals and this week, two Wellington families accused the Rotorua RSA of losing their items.
Memorabilia practices and processes used by RSAs would be audited, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association chief executive Jack Steer said.
Jack Steer says RSAs need to check their memorabilia.
"Lost medals and memorabilia are a very serious matter and will be referred to police for investigation."
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The 182 local organisations around New Zealand operated independently and there was no national register of loan items, Steer said.
An impression of the medals J W Neeson was awarded, his grandson says they have been lost by the Rotorua RSA.
"The RNZRSA is deeply saddened and disappointed by these recent events and sympathises with the families who have been affected."
The national office did not keep a record of individual contracts but did provide clear rules around the management of memorabilia.
Included was that, as part of any loan agreement, an RSA was required to have "wall to wall" insurance including cover for objects during transport. Security requirements included key management and using an access register.
J W Neeson's great-grandson Robert says the Rotorua RSA has lost the medals he was awarded during WW1
"The recent incident involving the South Canterbury RSA has increased member interest in checking their loaned items."
Anyone with concerns about the security or management of their loaned items should contact their local RSA to arrange a time to check on them, he said.
But Sally Mundell, whose father's medals were lost by the South Canterbury RSA, slammed the audit as too little, too late.
Richard Armishaw believes the Rotorua RSA has lost a letter written to his wife's grandfather by General Douglas Haig.
"It seems to me that the left hand is dodging whatever the right hand has done."
The family hoped police would find the medals and would be devastated if they were gone for good, the Kāpiti woman said.
"We now want everyone else in the county to be aware and give the national office a kick in the arse, the buck stops with them."
If the police couldn't find the medals, the family would seek compensation. They wanted others to be spared what they were going through.
"Take your stuff home, wherever it is in the country get it out now and take it home. You just can't trust them," Mundell said.
Massey University's Professor of War Studies Glyn Harper said the disappearance was a salutary warning to the RSA to up their game.
"The organisation has a duty of care, they need to be wary and have a system that protects medals from theft or going missing."
War memorabilia, particularly medals, had seen an exponential increase in value and were a prime target for thieves, he said.
"They end up in private collections and somebody will pay a lot for them.
"You think they'd be sacrosanct but sadly, there's a lot of money involved so it doesn't seem to matter."
Police were still investigating the missing medals but there was no significant update at this stage, a spokeswoman said.
"However police are following lines of enquiry and continue to welcome information from the public."
- Stuff
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