UNKNOWN SOLDIER

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 June 1928, Page 5

UNKNOWN SOLDIER

MEDAL’S OWNER TRACED.

(Per Press Association.)

TAUMARUNUI, June 22

As the result of an investigation made by the “Taumarunui Press.” likely clues have been established to identify the New Zealand soldier whose remains and a gold medal were found near Flers on the Somme battlefield. It was ascertained that a Mrs N. H. v Moore, whose maiden name was Muriel Taylor, and who resided in Hamilton, won the medal for swimming at a tournament held by Blenheim Swimming Club, before the outbreak of the War. She gave the medal as a. keepsake to a soldier friend of the family when he was departing for the Front. Later, he was killed on the Somme. She wrote: “The medal looks like the one I won, but after a long lapse of time. I can only swear to it by finding out the exact size of the original, or by examining it. 1 remember that ias it was a small medal, and as there was no room for my full name. 1 requested the officials to put ‘M. Taylot on it.” The soldier to whom the medal was given by Mrs Moore was Lance-Cor-poral Ferguson, number 12/3317, Eighth Reinforcements. Mrs Moore has never been informed whether Ferguson’s body is buried in a. militai y cemetery or not. She is certain the initials B.S.C. on the one side of the medal represent “Blenheim SwimmingClub.”