A metal detectorist is hoping to trace the relatives of a World War 1 soldier after discovering his Victory Medal in an Isle of Man field.

The BBC reports that the medal is embossed with the name WH Gelling and also mentions the Coldstream Guards.

Mark Leadley, who found the medal, said: ‘I am determined to reunite it with Mr Gelling’s relatives.’

Curator of social history for Manx national heritage Matthew Richardson added: ‘I believe the Isle of Man had the second highest percentage of male involvement of any county in the British Empire after New Zealand. No Manx family would have been untouched.’

Leadley found the medal in a farmer’s field in the south of the isle of Mann. ‘I knew immediately it was a medal as it had a clasp and I could see the figure. It was only when I got it home and cleaned it up that I realised it was a World War I medal – it was very exciting.’

If no relatives are found the medal will go on display in the Manx Military and Aviation museum.

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