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| War medal found on building site | War medal found on building site |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A man has unearthed a World War I medal which was under more than 40 tonnes of soil on a building site. | |
| The silver British War medal was found in the village of Llanfechain near Llanfyllin, Powys where Thomas Murphy is building his house. | |
| He is trying to trace descendants of the soldier, Charles Edwards from nearby Bwlch-y-Cibau, to hand it back. | He is trying to trace descendants of the soldier, Charles Edwards from nearby Bwlch-y-Cibau, to hand it back. |
| Mr Edwards, a sapper with the Royal Engineers, died in 1919 from wounds he suffered two years earlier at Ypres. | Mr Edwards, a sapper with the Royal Engineers, died in 1919 from wounds he suffered two years earlier at Ypres. |
| Mr Murphy said it was a mystery why the medal had been buried in a field, where he is building his house, for 90 years. | Mr Murphy said it was a mystery why the medal had been buried in a field, where he is building his house, for 90 years. |
| He explained that Mr Edwards' service number was 65744, and his body was buried in Bwlch-y-Cibau churchyard. | He explained that Mr Edwards' service number was 65744, and his body was buried in Bwlch-y-Cibau churchyard. |
| Ypres | Ypres |
| But Mr Murphy said he had been unable to trace his family. | But Mr Murphy said he had been unable to trace his family. |
| "We'd moved about 40 tonnes of soil to build the house and when we got down to the last 18 inches I spotted the medal," said Mr Murphy. | "We'd moved about 40 tonnes of soil to build the house and when we got down to the last 18 inches I spotted the medal," said Mr Murphy. |
| "I used some rain water to wash off the soil and it looks as good as the day it was awarded to Mr Edwards. | "I used some rain water to wash off the soil and it looks as good as the day it was awarded to Mr Edwards. |
| "We'd like to hand the medal back to his family, but we haven't had much luck so far. | "We'd like to hand the medal back to his family, but we haven't had much luck so far. |
| "We're also at a loss as to why the medal was buried in a field. The field in question was used years ago to stage village events such as a carnival, so it may have been lost then." | "We're also at a loss as to why the medal was buried in a field. The field in question was used years ago to stage village events such as a carnival, so it may have been lost then." |
| According to Mr Murphy's research, Mr Edwards was sent to Ireland to convalesce after he was wounded at the battle of Ypres in Belgium on 16 July, 1917. | According to Mr Murphy's research, Mr Edwards was sent to Ireland to convalesce after he was wounded at the battle of Ypres in Belgium on 16 July, 1917. |
| However, he died on 10 December 1919 from his injuries, aged 38. He is buried with his wife, Ellen, who died on 12 April 1941, aged 58. | However, he died on 10 December 1919 from his injuries, aged 38. He is buried with his wife, Ellen, who died on 12 April 1941, aged 58. |