A hero soldier who helped save thousands from Saddam Hussein has been reunited with the medals he was awarded after they were found by litter pickers five years later.
Peter ‘Mitch’ Mitchell served in the British Army initially with the Parachute Regiment.
He then was in the Royal Logistic Corps serving with both airborne and commando forces throughout his career.
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During this time Peter was awarded medals in recognition for his efforts during Operation Haven in the first Gulf War.
It was a relief effort aimed at protecting hundreds of thousands of Kurdish refugees who fled towards the Turkish mountains after Iraq President Saddam Hussein crushed their rebellion in March 1991.
But in September 2019 Peter’s home in Plymouth, Devon was targeted by burglars who forced entry to his property and stole jewellery, sentimental gold sovereign coins and the medals.
A photo appeal from Devon and Cornwall Police followed and shortly after a piece of Peter’s jewellery was found in a Plymouth shop and a watch was located in Manchester.
Then on 28 August, community interest company Clean Our Patch found war medals, old coins and jewellery hidden in a pillowcase in a carrier bag during a litter pick.
The group posted a picture of their find and one of its followers was able to recognise the items from the photo appeal issued years before.
The newly found items were handed over to police and following a review have now been returned to Peter.
Peter had to wait five years after the burglary to get a new door fitted due to it being a specialist frame.
Amazingly police told him his stolen medals had been found on the day it was being replaced.
He said: “I received a call from police while supporting cancer patients in Exeter and monitoring my home security update over the phone.
“It was strange to receive this call on the same day my new door was being fitted, replacing the one damaged in the burglary.”
“I had dismissed the burglary from my mind as it followed just a few months after my wife Jesse passed away from cancer, marking a challenging period for everyone.
“Reflecting on the past is painful; Jesse’s battle with cancer was harrowing, marked by a long remission from non-Hodgkin lymphoma followed by a late, fatal diagnosis of another cancer.
“Memories of another day as the saying goes.
“Recently I was invited to collect these items unaware of their condition after years in a box.
“While most were low value, they held great sentimental significance, including a rare jade Buddha pendant, as the more valuable materials had long been lost.
“The medals which can be cleaned up were for Operation Haven
“Having just returned from Norway after some three months of arctic-warfare training, a few of us had flown-in in advance of the Brigade to work with the US troops.
“To secure, identify and locate vulnerable Kurds with the Kurdish Peshmerga still active. Operating one minute in sub-zero arctic conditions to middle eastern heat was interesting.
“I would like to say one is humbled by the volunteer litter pickers who despite challenging times chose to return their findings and generously dedicate their time to clean up after us.”
El Clarke of Clean Our Patch was delighted:
“That’s amazing,” she told Need To Know.
“I’m over the moon to have them reunited with the owner.
“I’m so pleased to know that after so long some of the things that were taken from have been returned.”
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police Priority Crime Investigation Team said: “We were delighted to be able to reunite Peter with the medals awarded to him in recognition for his efforts serving the country and protecting the lives of others.
“Although we were not able to identify the suspect who carried out the burglary, our extensive enquiries had reunited Peter with some of the stolen items prior to the most recent discovery.
“Burglaries are carried out in the place that victims are entitled to feel most safe. In their own homes. Anybody who has been the victim of a burglary should report it to us via the usual channels and we will investigate each report thoroughly.”
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