Sisters re-united thanks to lost Second World War military medal
Sisters re-united thanks to lost Second World War military medal
Kay Clements' work as a mechanic helped keep Britain's famous spitfirefighters flying through the Second World War. She lost a medal she received for her work, but that led her to the sister she'd not seen for years
Brenda Medway, 93, who lives at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home with her sister Kathleen Kay Clement, 101, during their emotional reunion after many years.
(Image: Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home )
Two sisters aged 101 and 93 have been re-united after years apart thanks to news of a lost military medal and efforts by care home staff. Brenda Medway and Kathleen 'Kay' Clement had an emotional reunion at HC-One Wales's Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home in Skewen, Neath.
Staff "went above and beyond" to reunite the long lost sisters. Brenda, 93, who has lived at the home for two years, had told staff for some time she wanted to see her older sister, Kay, aged 101, whom she believed was living in a care home in the Sketty area.
Despite the best efforts of the care team to locate her, initial attempts proved unsuccessful. Tomos Lovell, a senior carer at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn decided to continue the search in his own time.
Trawling the internet late one evening led him to a breakthrough when he spotted an article about a 101-year-old woman named Kathleen 'Kay' Clement, who had recently been re-awarded a military medal she had lost.
Kathleen Clement as a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
(Image: PA )
He read that in 2024 Kay, whose mechanical skills helped keep Britain's famous spitfire fighters flying through the Second World War, received a replacement for the long-lost medal she received for her work.
Article continues below
Born in 1924 she worked as a mechanic based at RAF Loughborough as a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (Waaf) during the war. When fighting ended she was awarded a Loyal Service Medal for her efforts on behalf of King George VI, but later lost it.
It was only when she heard she was to be given the Mayor's Award by former Neath Port Talbot mayor Chris Williams, that she mentioned she'd also once had another medal but lost it.
Hearing this the authorities decided to surprise her with a replacement war time medal which was presented by Wing Commander Stephen Fry, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, and Air Commodore Robert Woods, Air Officer Wales.
News of the replacement medal presentation and the war time work Kay got it for was reported online, which Tomos spotted.
Making inquiries after reading the story he discovered that Kay was living just five miles away at The Old Vicarage Nursing Home in Tonna.
When staff showed Brenda the article to check it was her sister she immediately recognised her sister and was overwhelmed.
Staff at her care home then arranged a surprise reunion with help from The Old Vicarage. With the support of Tomos and Kaylie Watkins, the wellbeing coordinator at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn, Brenda made the short journey to see her sister Kay.
Brenda Medway and her sister Kathleen Kay Clement when they were younger
(Image: Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home )
Afterwards Brenda, who has no immediate family left, said: 'She's still wicked as ever — she hasn't changed a bit!'
"The emotional visit was filled with laughter, joy, and tender moments," the care home said, "Kay recognised her 'little sister' and shared warm memories. The pair spent time chatting, laughing, and exchanging stories as if no time had passed."
They parted with the promise of another visit soon.
Tomos said seeing the sisters re-united reminded the whole team why they do what they do: "This reunion truly embodies what person-centred care means. It's about listening, caring, and making the impossible possible. Seeing Brenda and Kay together again reminded all of us why we do what we do.
Article continues below
'We're incredibly proud of our team and thankful to The Old Vicarage for welcoming us with such kindness. Plans are now in motion for regular visits so the sisters can continue to reconnect and share more precious time together."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
29 minutes ago
- The National
Neal Ascherson: Gazans paying the price for Israel's military failure
The lesson of the past three years in Gaza is that Israel's war there has been a gross military failure. In reality, Israel's army is incompetent and disorganised. The weakness is in tactics, training and morale, and it's the people of Gaza who are paying for it. The IDF, staggering under the weight of every kind of sub-nuclear weaponry and intelligence on land, air or sea, has been unable to crush a far smaller urban guerrilla force apparently using only small arms, booby-traps and a few rocket launchers. READ MORE: Palestinian jazz singer to share rich heritage through music at Scottish festival This is partly because the Israelis use the old American tactics of the Second World War: don't enter a built-up area which might contain enemies, but first bomb it to rubble. The drawback is that this creates a perfect landscape for snipers hiding in the ruins, which is what has happened in Gaza. As the war in Iraq has shown, this is the kind of fighting that advancing soldiers most dread. House-to-house combat in undestroyed streets is less dangerous, but it's a grim routine which requires prolonged training. And the available evidence suggests that the basic training of Israeli recruits is astonishingly poor and erratic. Soldiers who commit atrocities are usually frightened soldiers. They are also burned-out soldiers, no longer reliable, who should at once be taken out of action before they do more damage. Some of the IDF's crimes against civilians have an element of revenge: it's wrong to underestimate the trauma left by Hamas's insane orgy of murder in October 2023. More often, it seems, the killings have been the reaction of ill-trained and scared men, possibly after suffering a comrade casualty, whose officers and unit commanders have totally failed to lead and reassure them. To explain is not, of course, to excuse. But old-fashioned 'discipline', the traditional remedy for fear, is hard to impose on young men from a proudly self-assertive society of many sects and origins. None of those qualifications apply to the men and women carrying out the indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza from the air, the daily slaughter of innocent families, at no risk to themselves. They are parties to a deliberate crime against humanity. READ MORE: Jeremy Corbyn to table Chilcot-style Gaza inquiry bill in the Commons But the IDF on the ground in Gaza is illustrating a great change in the attitude of 'Western' countries toward warfare. This is the intense and growing reluctance of soldiers and commanders to take casualties and risk lives. These days, a pimply youth blowing a whistle and ordering a trenchful over the top into the machine guns would only get one answer: Gonnae no dae that! But is this proof of a slow spread of compassion and humanity? Or does it only mean that mass killing is now conducted by remote-control drones or by button-pushers in another continent? Perhaps Gaza can show us.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Maths pupils in Wales underperforming due to 'inconsistent teaching', report finds
Maths pupils in Wales underperforming due to 'inconsistent teaching', report finds The report found there was 'insufficient subject-specific support' and that maths education across Wales remains too variable A new thematic report from Estyn has been published (Image: PA ) Many pupils are underperforming in mathematics due to "inconsistent teaching and insufficient subject-specific support", according to a new thematic report from Estyn. The report found that the quality of maths education across Wales remains too variable. The report, entitled 'Unlocking potential: insights into improving teaching and leadership in mathematics education', draws on evidence from recent school inspections, thematic visits to primary, secondary and all-age schools, and national survey responses. Whilst the report identifies pockets of effective practice in mathematics teaching and curriculum planning, overall too many schools fall short in key areas including subject knowledge, pedagogy, and the use of assessment to guide teaching. Inspectors found that where teaching was most effective, teachers held high expectations, used a range of responsive assessment techniques, and ensured that pupils developed a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. In contrast, less effective teaching often lacked challenge and did not address misconceptions effectively. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The report also highlights a concerning decline in subject-specific professional learning and support for teachers, which contributes to gaps in confidence and competence, particularly around the Curriculum for Wales. In some cases, teachers relied too heavily on bought-in schemes of work without sufficient adaptation to meet pupils' needs. Article continues below Estyn chief inspector Owen Evans said: 'Too many pupils in Wales are not reaching their full potential in mathematics because the quality of teaching and leadership varies so widely between schools. "We need to raise expectations for all learners and provide our teachers with the subject-specific training and support they need to help every pupil succeed. Strong mathematics education is fundamental not just to individual futures, but to Wales's future prosperity. 'Our report focusses on how we can improve the teaching of Maths in Wales, and provides a number of best practice examples and resources to support teachers in their day to day practice.' The report identifies the need for a coherent and comprehensive mathematics curriculum that builds progressively on pupils' learning and includes authentic contexts for application. Schools with the strongest outcomes often demonstrated collaborative curriculum planning, clear progression models, and a balance between explicit instruction and opportunities for pupils to explore and reason independently. Examples of effective practice from schools are highlighted throughout the report, as well as practical video resources for classroom teachers. Article continues below Estyn has made a series of recommendations to the Welsh Government, local authorities, regional consortia, and school leaders to strengthen the quality of mathematics teaching and ensure that all pupils, regardless of where they live, have access to high-quality mathematics education.
South Wales Guardian
5 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Gerard Butler jokes he had to get out of his pyjamas for live-action dragon film
The film star, 55, who voiced Chief Stoick the Vast in the animated films, has reprised his role as the Viking for the new version, which follows the same narrative as the 2010 film inspired by Cressida Cowell's book series. Speaking to the PA news agency at a photocall for the film, he said: 'It felt really, really good going from the animation into the live action. 'It was cool because up until that point I was just a voice wearing my pyjamas. 'I had to get out my pyjamas and actually put on a costume … so that was fun. 'It felt great to be able to step into the (How To Train Your Dragon) world … and have a chance to get my teeth into the character and actually deal with Vikings all around me.' Butler praised the performance of Hot Fuzz actor Nick Frost who made his debut as Stoick's friend Gobber, a role that was previously voiced by Craig Ferguson. Butler told PA: 'I have to say, I came out the film the other day, I wrote him, because I hadn't seen him for a bit, I wrote him the longest text because he's so good in the movie.' He added: 'It was a great script to play with. You put on that costume, you step into that world, and it was really like, just going and playing in the sandbox. 'And I felt like there's a big version of Stoick that in the movie, a lot of time, it was pontificating in speeches, but here you can give a lot of different colours in that.' In the film, Hiccup (Mason Thames), the overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast defies centuries of tradition when he befriends a dragon called Toothless – challenging the foundations of Viking society. The film will arrive in cinemas on Monday June 9.
