They were left at Acorn Enterprises’ Reuse Centre, which is part of the Jersey Employment Trust. The organisation provides training and supports Islanders with disabilities or long-term health conditions in order to help them find work.
Since the medals were left with them, the social enterprise has been trying to find out more about Private Jonathan Nunn, but with no luck – not even his old regiment has been able to shed more light on his life.
David Rose, JET’s strategy and risk manager, hopes JEP readers can help solve the mystery of a man who fought in the Great War.
He said: ‘Some time ago a lady called into our La Collette Reuse Centre and donated a box full of various bits and pieces, but when the guys were going through [it] they noticed there were two medals. They went outside to try to find her but she had already left the recycling site.
‘We put the medals to one side, then we realised they were from the First World War and from the lettering engraved on the side of the medals we could see his rank, name and where they were issued.’
This information revealed that Private Nunn served in the 15th (Suffolk
Yeomanry) Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment.
Mr Rose contacted the Suffolk Regiment Regimental Museum, but as their First World War records were destroyed in a bombing raid during the Second World War, they had no information about the soldier, other than that he survived the 1914 to 1918 conflict.
Mr Rose said he had sent the medals to the museum in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, where they are on display.
Hopefully, he added, someone who sees them there or reads this story might be able to help him find out who Private Nunn was and about his life after the Great War.
Mr Rose can be contacted by calling the Jersey Employment Trust on 788900.
