Man appeals after Gallipoli badge 'lost' in bag mix-up

Updated

A man who was presented with a pin badge to commemorate his grandfather's service in the Gallipoli campaign has appealed to rail users to check their suitbags after his was mistakenly taken.

Ian Domingo had been visiting London to take part in the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign in which his grandfather was killed before departing on the 12.30pm Virgin service from Euston on November 10.

Mr Domingo's suitbag, which contained items of sentimental value including a suit with pin badges commemorating service in the Gallipoli campaign, was mistakenly picked up by a man accompanied by a woman who got off the train at Lancaster around 2.55pm.

The bag also contained tartan trousers and a blazer.

Mr Domingo said: "I had travelled down to London for the commemorations in remembrance of my grandfather who served with the King's Own Scottish Borders Regiment. He was killed in action on the 4th June 1915 at Gallipoli. The blazer had various badges attached which will be almost impossible to replace as part of the legacy to my grandson."

The bag left behind contained dresses, a jacket and a coat.

British Transport Police's investigating officer Pc Gez Cooper said: "The person who has picked up Mr Domingo's bag is likely to have just hung it back in the wardrobe, without checking the contents and won't realise their mistake until they need to wear the items again.

"I would appeal to anyone reading this who travelled on the same service and took home a suitbag, to check the contents - hopefully we can reunite Mr Domingo with his suits and pin badge and return the dresses and other items to their rightful owner."

The Gallipoli land campaign against Turkey was one of the major engagements of the First World War, involving more than 400,000 British and around 140,000 Commonwealth and Irish servicemen.

At dawn on April 25 1915, waves of Allied troops launched an amphibious attack on the strategically important peninsula, which was key to controlling the Dardanelles straits, the crucial route to the Black Sea and Russia.

But the plan backed by Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, was flawed and the campaign, which faced a heroic defence by the Turks, led to stalemate and withdrawal eight months later.

Around 58,000 Allied troops died, including 29,500 from Britain and Ireland, over 12,000 from France, 11,000 from Australia and New Zealand and 1,500 from India.

If you can help reunite the items with their rightful owners or have any information telephone 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting reference PSUB/B13 of 22/01/2016.

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