Pride in place

By Kath Gannaway
DAVID and Jennifer Barton lost a lifetime of treasures when their Marysville home and antique shop burnt on Black Saturday.
Among the most heart-breaking losses were Mr Barton’s grandparents’ and father’s war medals and Mrs Barton’s father’s medals.
Both have proudly marched in Anzac marches in Melbourne in recent years wearing the medals.
Some of the medals were found but they were badly damaged and, it seemed at the time, beyond repair.
Healesville RSL president Arthur Ford saw a television interview with Mr Barton and says he was determined the Bartons should have the opportunity to continue that tradition wearing medals which honoured their loved-ones and the sacrifices they made.
He arranged for replacement medals for those that were lost or beyond repair and organised for the others to be cleaned, polished and re-ribboned.
The medals, which belonged to his paternal grandfather Percival Barton, were the 1914-1918 Medal and the Victory Medal issued in England.
The medals which had belonged to his maternal grandfather, Wilfred Collins, were the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star, Pacific Star, Australian Defence Medal, the 1939-1945 Medal and the 1939-1945 Service Medal.
A WWII medal that belonged to Mr Barton’s father Harold Barton was also restored and re-ribboned.
Mrs Barton’s father Thomas Jackson is one of two surviving veterans in the family and he lives in Lilydale.
The other veteran is Mr and Mrs Barton’s son Craig, a current member of the Australian Defence Forces who has served in East Timor and Afghanistan.
True to their word to Mr Ford, Canberra pulled out all stops to get the medals to Mr Jackson in time for Anzac Day.
They arrived in the mail last week and Mr Ford said he was delighted with the outcome.
Mr Barton said that although this year’s Marysville march was particularly significant he said he and his wife have strong allegiances to their fathers’ and grandfathers’ units and expect they will continue their tradition of marching with them in Melbourne.