Milton Leitch WW2 Badge
A couple of weeks before Christmas 2020, a local prospector Ken Winnell whilst prospecting with his metal detector, came across what he thought was as war medal at Park Lake, Creswick, Victoria. He passed the medal onto a member from the Creswick Smeaton RSL which was then handed to Phil Greenbank the RSL’s Memorial and Memorabilia Officer, on ANZAC Day 2021. Research showed the medal was actually a badge that was originally issued in WW1, then later in WW2.
There were three types of badges issued, each with a registration number on the back.
1. Returned from Active Service
2. Discharged Returned Soldier
3. Mothers & Widow’s badge.
This badge is the Returned from Active Service with Registration number 218391. It was originally assumed that it belonged to a Victoria soldier from WW1. After checking the number in the registers for Victoria WW1, then WW2, none were found then started search in registers for other states both WW1 & WW2 and finally found the number in a WW2 register for South Australia.
The Number belongs to Milton Vivian Leith born 18th January 1904 in Naracoorte and was living in Penola when he enlisted in WW2 on the 20th July 1940, in Adelaide, with Service Number SX9199. He served with the 2nd/14th Field Regiment and held the rank of Sergeant when he was discharged on the 8th January 1946.
The badge was issued after his discharged. We don’t know how the badge ended up in Victoria and especially Creswick.
There were three types of badges issued, each with a registration number on the back.
1. Returned from Active Service
2. Discharged Returned Soldier
3. Mothers & Widow’s badge.
This badge is the Returned from Active Service with Registration number 218391. It was originally assumed that it belonged to a Victoria soldier from WW1. After checking the number in the registers for Victoria WW1, then WW2, none were found then started search in registers for other states both WW1 & WW2 and finally found the number in a WW2 register for South Australia.
The Number belongs to Milton Vivian Leith born 18th January 1904 in Naracoorte and was living in Penola when he enlisted in WW2 on the 20th July 1940, in Adelaide, with Service Number SX9199. He served with the 2nd/14th Field Regiment and held the rank of Sergeant when he was discharged on the 8th January 1946.
The badge was issued after his discharged. We don’t know how the badge ended up in Victoria and especially Creswick.
The badge as it would have looked like when presented
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Milton's badge, front view, as discovered in Creswick in 2020
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Milton's badge, from the back, with the registration number 218391
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A Media release was put together asking for any Next of Kin to contact the RSL and was sent to the Naracoorte Herald and Border Watch, which covers the towns of Naracoorte and Penola.
Day after going in the papers, the RSL were contacted by the Coonawarra/Penola RSL President Peter DeGaris who was meeting with a colleague at the SA RSL State conference at the end of July and knew two of the sisters related to Milton.
The next night we received and email from Christine & Bill Leitch, who’ grandfather was Milton’s brother.
Christine also included a photo of Milton's grave
Instead of sending the badge to the family, it was decided to send the badge to Peter at Coonawarra/Penola RSL, who will on behalf of the Creswick-Smeaton RSL, formally present the badge to Christine & Bill Leitch on Friday 13th August, with both Newspapers interested in covering the presentation.
Day after going in the papers, the RSL were contacted by the Coonawarra/Penola RSL President Peter DeGaris who was meeting with a colleague at the SA RSL State conference at the end of July and knew two of the sisters related to Milton.
The next night we received and email from Christine & Bill Leitch, who’ grandfather was Milton’s brother.
Christine also included a photo of Milton's grave
Instead of sending the badge to the family, it was decided to send the badge to Peter at Coonawarra/Penola RSL, who will on behalf of the Creswick-Smeaton RSL, formally present the badge to Christine & Bill Leitch on Friday 13th August, with both Newspapers interested in covering the presentation.
Naracoorte News
The Border Watch