Metal detectorist reunites war badge with soldier's family

A metal detectorist who unearthed a World War One badge in a Yorkshire field has reunited it with a soldier's surviving family members.

Dave Batchelor, of Durham, found the Silver War Badge on a site near Northallerton earlier this month.

Thanks to a unique number on the back of the pin, it was identified as having belonged to a former soldier called Fred Brown.

His great-nephew described the find as "absolutely brilliant".

The Silver War Badge was awarded to servicemen and women who were discharged from military service, often due to sickness or injury.

According to the Imperial War Museum, its purpose was to prevent men not in uniform and without an obvious disability being viewed as "shirkers".

Mr Batchelor enlisted help from members of an online forum who were able to provide the badge recipient's identity and key details about his background.

He said: "I was going along and got a really good signal, pinpointed it and dug down.

"Out she popped. I could see it was silver.

"I've been detecting for years and never found someone's name so quickly. You find coins and artefacts and can't put a name to them so this is probably the best find I've ever had."

Records showed Mr Brown served in an agricultural labour company before being discharged in 1919.

His great-great niece Zoe Hancock had been unaware of Mr Brown's existence until recently and described the find as "incredible".

Her father John Brown added: "I've found a great-uncle I didn't know about.

"Now I have I feel like I want to take him for a pint but I can't.

"It's absolutely brilliant."

The family say the badge may now be given to a Yorkshire museum.

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