Can you help me return medals?

I am a military historian from Paddockwood, Saskatchewan, Canada, and I hope that by publishing this letter you may be able to help me reunite a family with the medals of a father and son with connections to Woking and Byfleet.

A few months ago, I acquired the medals of a First World War veteran named Ernest Charles Vine, as well as the medals of his son, a Second World War veteran named Reginald Cecil Vine.

Both men were from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and both at some point emigrated to Canada and are buried here.

A man named Graham Vine, who lived in the Woking and Byfleet area and was involved with the boat club, was a grandson or great-grandson of Ernest Vine, and it is his family I am trying to locate. Graham passed away in 2024.

Over the past three years, I have made it my mission to return to the family the medals of veterans which have been separated from them.

I have returned 30 sets of medals across Canada and the UK, and I would love to get these medals home. I hope you can help with this.

I look forward to hearing from any readers who may be able to assist me.

If you can, please contact me at [email protected]

John Brady McDonald

Paddockwood, Saskatchewan

Screen time

Woking Film Club is showing two films in October.

This evening (8 October) the presentation is the French film Marching Band, in which a world-famous orchestral conductor discovers the brother that he never knew he had — a school cafeteria worker who plays trombone in a local marching band.

Then on 22 October, the club will show The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, based on Muriel Spark’s novel.

Maggie Smith won the 1970 Best Actress Oscar for portraying an eccentric teacher whose romantic ideas about life and love impress her young pupils in 1930s Edinburgh, but bring her into direct conflict with the school's conservative headmistress.

Membership for the season (17 films) is £68; guest membership for a single show is £7. The full programme can be seen on the club’s website at http://wncc.org.uk/.

The films are shown at Mayford Village Hall in Saunders Lane (GU22 0NN) on a wide screen and with surround sound. The performance begins promptly at 8pm.

There is normally a short film before the main feature and the show includes an interval when you can buy coffee or tea and delicious homemade cakes. There are notes accompanying the film, and the opportunity to give reactions which are reported back at the next show.

Contact the club on [email protected], or come along on the night and enjoy a film in the company of like-minded people.

The club looks forward to seeing you!

Chairman

Woking Film Club