Antiques Roadshow: Mark values rare map of bombing routes
In a new instalment of BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, viewers were taken to Powis Castle in Wales where one guest brought in his father’s honorary awards to be valued before taking them to auction. However, the guest was left “shaken” when expect Mark Hill explained just how valuable they are
Impressed instantly with the medal collection, the Antiques Roadshow expert told the guest: “You don’t see sets of medals like this.”
Curious to find out more information, Mark asked: “Who was this man?”
Getting emotional speaking about him, the guest explained: “He was my dad, I’m choking up now. He passed away about 13 years ago, a remarkable man.”
Looking at the set closely, Mark highlighted one of the medals was an Albert Medal which is a gallantry award, which was changed to the George Cross in 1971.
Mark commented: “A very, very prestigious award. He then has the distinguished service cross another gallantry award for the Royal Navy.”
Moving along the row of medals, Mark noticed an Antarctic exploration medal which had the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct on it.
Giving more context behind the medal his father received, the guest said: “That sort of goes with the Polar Medal here.
“He was in the Antarctic and they were out sledging with dog teams, miles from anywhere and his mate fell down a crevasse 50ft down.”
Telling Mark more about the situation, the guest continued: “There were four of them, they could hear him down there.
“Dad says, ‘It’s all right, I’ll go’. He spent five hours down there, some of the time hanging from his legs chipping his friend out.”
However, Mark was later stunned to discover the guest also had the same medal as his dad for his own work back in the 1980s.
The man explained: “When I got presented with that in 1986, we were the only father and son, as far as I know, to hold the Polar Medal.
“I worked in the Antarctic, studying ice and studying climate change for a number of years. Somewhere along the line, somebody must’ve thought I’d done a good job.”
Blown away by the medals, Mark replied: “I’m still going to say wow, they are just superb aren’t they?”
Mark explained to viewers the medals on the show weren’t his father’s original ones as many serving men wouldn’t want to wear them due to how expensive they are.
Asking where his father’s real ones were, the guest replied: “The Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, which is the sort of centre of Polar research in the UK. They’re in their museum.”
Mark confessed it is good the medals are in a museum, explaining: “Well, that’s quite wise because I think if we had the big ones here today, I’d tell you that they were worth around £40,000.”
The guest was visibly taken aback by the high value before Mark detailed how much his own medal would go for at auction: “That one is worth £10,000.”
Stunned, the man said: “You’re joking?! Ok, that’s shaken me.”
Antiques Roadshow airs Sunday on BBC One from 8pm.
Mark confessed it is good the medals are in a museum, explaining: “Well, that’s quite wise because I think if we had the big ones here today, I’d tell you that they were worth around £40,000.”
The guest was visibly taken aback by the high value before Mark detailed how much his own medal would go for at auction: “That one is worth £10,000.”
Stunned, the man said: “You’re joking?! Ok, that’s shaken me.”
Antiques Roadshow airs Sunday on BBC One from 8pm.
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