Research done by a Vancouver Island Military Museum volunteer has uncovered history about a war medal discovered at a Nanaimo homeless camp and the veteran who earned it.

The First World War medal was brought to the Vancouver Island Military Museum by a city worker who found it. Museum staff reached out to the public to try to reunite the medal with its rightful owner, but after numerous inquiries, no clear ownership could be established.

The medal is the Military Medal issued to enlisted personnel for acts of bravery on the battlefield. The recipientB次元官网网址檚 name, rank and military unit are etched into the edge of the medal, in this case, Sgt. J. Austin, 50th Battalion.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no first name on it, so when you go on the Canadian archives B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 hundreds of Austins and thereB次元官网网址檚 lots of Js B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 looking for a sergeant because it says sergeant on the medal. I canB次元官网网址檛 find him,B次元官网网址� said Greg Devenish, a VIMM director and volunteer.

It was an archivist at the Military Museums of Calgary who told Devenish that Austin was actually a lieutenant.

B次元官网网址淗e was promoted to lieutenant after he received the Military Medal B次元官网网址� so once I had that I could find his records,B次元官网网址� Devenish said.

He found information about when Austin registered and where he lived in Calgary, and was then able to learn more from a London newspaper that published announcements about medal recipients at the time.

Lieut. John Petrie Austin, Devenish discovered, was born in 1884, in Durham County, England, and served with the 4th Durham Garrison Artillery for a short time. He married Annie Rutter, also from the area, in 1908. In 1910 they emigrated to Canada and by 1911 were living in Calgary. In 1916 he enlisted with the 157th Battalion and was sent to England later that year.

B次元官网网址淗e had been promoted to acting sergeant prior to departure, so sometime during his training he was made sergeant. It probably had to do with the fact that he had served already with the Durham Artillery,B次元官网网址� Devenish said.

Austin was then attached to the 50th Battalion, which Devenish said fought at Ypres, Belgium, in the Battle of Passchendaele. Austin and his battalion were part of the 4th Canadian Division trying to encircle the city of Lens in August 1917.

B次元官网网址淚t was during that battle, trying to get ahold of the Aloof Trench B次元官网网址� a German trench B次元官网网址� and in trying to get to that position, thatB次元官网网址檚 where his officer had gone down. He took over and immediately got rid of the enemy position B次元官网网址� and for that he won the Military Medal,B次元官网网址� Devenish said.

Austin was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in March 1918, posted to the 21st Reserve Battalion, and returned to France soon after. He was wounded in the abdomen that summer, convalesced in London, and was then discharged.

Austin was a carpenter by trade and upon returning to Calgary, worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He moved to Victoria when he retired and died in 1958 and is buried at the Royal Oak Burial Park.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 funny B次元官网网址� the medal ends up here and the bodyB次元官网网址檚 here,B次元官网网址� Devenish said.

Devenish said he has not been able to confirm how the medal ended up where it was found.

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