Local Veteran finally gets his medal after over 50 years

John Collins, a former soldier in the Royal West Kent Regiment, has finally received his medal for service in Cyprus and the Near East after fifty years.

The medal was presented to the army veteran by The Mayor of Maidstone in a ceremony in Sutton Valence on Friday.

The story started when Mr Collins, who lives in Sutton Valence, met his MP, Hugh Robertson, in the village. He mentioned that he thought that he ought to have been awarded a medal and the MP offered to check up on it.

After making some initial enquiries with The House of Commons Library, Hugh wrote to The Secretary of State for Defence and the Medal Office and confirmed that Mr Collins was eligible. After copies of his service record were obtained, the medal, a General Service Medal with bars for service in Cyprus and the Near East was delivered and presented on Friday.

Mr Collins invited his family, including three grandsons, and the presentation was attended by The Mayor, the Kent President of the Royal British Legion, John Partridge, the local RBL Chairman, Stan Heather, and local Kent and Maidstone Councillors Eric Hotson and Paulina Stockell.

Hugh Robertson said, “Like many veterans, John Collins is an enormously modest and quiet man so it was a wonderful moment to see his face light up when The Mayor presented him with his medal. The local pub was full of people enjoying a drink after work so he got a round of applause from everyone present.

Nobody is quite sure why he was not awarded the medal fifty years ago but it is great that he has got it now and that all his three grandsons were there to see it awarded.”