Government tells Hunter historians WWI service medals were 'likely destroyed'

Former Hinton Public School student Lance Corporal Keith Eric Griffin's enlistment papers (left) and Private Herbert Fletcher's original WWI medals (right), the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Picture by Marina Neil

Yvonne Fletcher and John Gillam. "They're not protecting the codes to the nuclear submarines for heaven's sake, they should be open about the way they deal with the public and address these issues," Mr Gillam said. Picture by Simone De Peak

Fern Bay Public School applied for the first-issue WWI medals of Private Theodore Chambers, who was a ward of the state and worked on J T Smith's Fullerton Cove property for five years before he enlisted. He was killed in action in France on October 30, 1916. Picture by Simone De Peak