Who do medals belong to?

Photo: Contributed - Martin Bokesch

When Vernon resident Martin Bokesch bought an antique desk, he got more history than he was expecting.

Bokesch's wife, Jeanne, discovered a cache of Second World War medals about 18 years ago inside a box after cleaning out a used desk she purchased in the Montreal-suburb of Kirkland, Que.

Bokesch says at the time, his wife didn't know how to track down the owners of the medals and put them aside, and "of course totally forgot about it."

Recently, the pair was cleaning the clutter in their home in anticipation of a move and they stumbled upon the long-forgotten box with the medals inside.

"I opened up the box, and I went 'Oh, we've got to do something about this, and we've got to do something now," said Bokesch who turned to social media to get the word out.

So, on Friday, Bokesch made an appeal to find the rightful owners he believes is a Canadian veteran and the response has been overwhelming.

As of Sunday night, the post had been shared some 23,000 times and Bokesch says he has received between 450 and 500 Facebook messages with "leads and tips."

"It has gotten way beyond what I ever imagined it would do," Bokesch told CTVNews.ca. “There's so many sincere, and so many interested (people) and I'm just totally amazed, totally … overwhelmed with the response and the people that have stepped forward to volunteer and help."

“This search has taken on a life of its own now, with help from across Canada, and even has reached into the U.S. and the UK. There are a great number of people to thank, for the determination and help. With all the assistance we received, we very are close to finding the recipient or heirs.”

The box containing the medals was addressed to Mrs. Dorothy I. Priest of Timmins, Ont. But, it also has the last name Nicholls, and an undecipherable first initial, handwritten across its centre.

Bokesch says he initially contacted the Royal Canadian Legion, but they were unable to help him, and messages to the Department of Veterans Affairs went unanswered.

But since he reached out on Facebook, he says that he been put in contact with a woman who is believed to be the daughter of Dorothy Priest.

Bokesch says he sent the family a note asking to speak with them.

"There's a chance it could be the grandfather's, and there may not be a chance," he said.

"The puzzle being, the box may not be the box that the medals were sent in."

The second name on the box remains largely a mystery, in part because Bokesch can't identify the first initial.

Since posting to social media, Bokesch says he has also been in contact with people inside Veterans Affairs who have offered to help him in his search.

Bokesch believes he has identified the four medals as a 1939-1945 Star, an Atlantic Star, a Canadian Volunteer Service medal and a War Medal.

In his quest to find the medals' owner many people have shared their own personal stories and Bokesch has come to truly realize their importance.

"They're not just medals, I understand that,” Bokesch said. “There is a great desire from the people that have gotten in contact with me that these get to the proper home.”

He added a potential return to the owner and their family would be "very special to me."

"These people that had these medals, these people that served our country,” Bokesch said, adding, “They worked for them they're entitled to them, they're theirs.”

- with files from CTV