Sacrifice Medal sold

[JPL]

Here is a sad story:

The parents of a war hero killed in Afghanistan have spoken of their disgust after his widow sold a medal honouring his sacrifice. Fusilier Simon Annis’s young wife Caroline, 26, listed the Elizabeth Cross on the online noticeboard Gumtree for just £500. The medal, which recognises the loss borne by Service families, was awarded to her after her 22-year-old husband died in an explosion in Afghanistan. But Fusilier Annis’s devastated parents have criticised their daughter-in-law for not offering it to them before selling it. Pete and Ann Annis have now paid the new owner £1,757 – more than three times the initial listing – to retrieve the medal. They only found out that the Cross had been put up for sale when a friend spotted an advertisement online.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380685/Fusilier-Simon-Annis-Parents-hero-soldier-killed-Afghanistan-slam-widow-sold-medal-500-Gumtree--telling-them.html#ixzz2bZcr3ufI

Jean-Paul

[cjb4671]

I have also noticed a few OP-Telic Iraq Medals appear on ebay via various cash brokers pawn brokers franchises over the last few weeks...One assumes the recipient or relative of recipient has hit on hard times and pawned it...Having said that I have met a few ex service men who sold their medals on because of the way they felt they had been neglected after leaving the forces..

[peter monahan]

Yes, my first reaction on hearing of the sale was to wonder whether or not it might have been the widow 'making a statement' along the lines of "Thanks so much for a bit of tin, but how about a decent pension/settlement?". Not judging either way!

[paddywhack]

Heres the full story as it unfolded over at the british medal forum before it hit the media!its sad but youl see more of these for sale as time goes on
!

[Guest Rick Research]

Regardless of whether the widow is at fault, a bad person, etc etc or a tragic living victim--

it's obvious that the buyer who squeeeeeeeeeezed more than triple price RANSOM out of the grieving parents is the scum of the earth and the type of miserable excuse for a human being that gives all dealers and far too many collectors bad reputations. This is a century without shame, dignity, or honour.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Rick Research

[Noor]

Great point Rick!!!! I am the Dubs collector and when I started posting my medals researchers up online, few families have contact me, I sold them back just what I paid, even when I had a chance ask more... Just these are the places where they must be on first place and I got better satisfaction of that instead of profit... Simple as that.

[peter monahan]

I "Gentlemen" part of our moniker is never so obviously true as in comments like the two above. One of the main reasons I continue to haunt these forums.