News


downsmail.co.uk Thieves take hero’s warmedal


JOHN Harris was a hero. In the thick of World War II, the Royal Navy chief stoker saved his torpedoed destroyer from sinking by using offcuts of old wood.


In an age ofwidespread bravery


and self-sacrifice, he was singled out formention indispatches.And he andhisproudfamilywere sum- monedtoBuckinghamPalace to be honoured with a British Empire Medal by KingGeorge. Little couldhe, or those he saved


and fought for, imagine that decades later, his daughter Enid (now 85) would be wrestling with two youths in the front roomof her Maidstone home to save that very medal. In an episode that shames mod-


ern society, the frail grandmother was thrown back onto the sofa as the thugs, intheir late teens, fledthe scene of their cowardly crime. “Theywere toostrong,”Enidtold


Downs Mail in an exclusive inter- view. “If I’d been inmy prime,God helpthem, butmy health isn’twhat itwas.” Hubby Bill (85), a former RAF


serviceman, had been outside tend- ing the front gardenwhen the bur- glars got in. With his hearing aid switched off, he had been oblivious to the commotionwithin. “They must have walked past


me,”he said.“But Inever sawthem. I didn’t know they were there…if only I’d looked round at the right moment.” The couplewere targetedonSun-


day, July 21, as Britain baked. They hadleft thebackdoors tothekitchen


Fire warning


FIRE crews have warned the public to take extra care when lighting garden fires, follow- ing an accidental shed blaze in Maidstone. Two fire engines were


called to an address in Downs Road on August 10 and extin- guished the blaze at about 11pm. The fire had also spread to a nearby tree. A Kent Fire and Rescue


spokesman said: “The cause is believed to be accidental and to have spread from a brazier. “Firefighters are urging the


public to take extra care when lighting braziers, barbecues, chimneys or fire pits. Keep them well away from sheds, buildings, foliage or over- hanging branches and never leave them unattended.”


24 Maidstone September 2019 Golf day raises £1.6k for hospice


A TUDOR Park Marriott Hotel golf day in aid of Heart of Kent Hospice raised over £1,600. The event was staged by the


Headcorn Imbibers on Friday, Au- gust 9, with more than 80 people in attendance. Organiser Steph Hughes said: “We were very lucky with the weather


this year and people were extremely enthusiastic. We managed to raise £1,600 this year and around 80 peo- ple showed up. Knowing the rain was coming we started early, at around 1pm. But it was a fun day and we were excited to donate the money to the Heart of Kent Hospice as it does- n’t receive any central funding.”


The Headcorn Imbibers have


raised £86,000 for the Heart of Kent Hospice over the last 15 years by hosting bike rides, walks and social evenings, but organisers Jay Bray (40) and Paul Hughes (58) say the annual golf day is by far the biggest event. Picture: Rebecca Abbott


Enid admires dad John’s medal, with mother, Lily (left) and sister Eileen (right), at Buckingham Palace, 1941.


and lounge open to cool the house and, while Bill was out front, Enid was inthe livingroomwatchingtel- evision. She said: “Two lads came up to


the front door, I could see their re- flection in the glass ofmy cabinet. I thought theywere delivering pizza leaflets, so Iwent back towatching TV. I assumed they’d gone.” Thepair,however,were intenton


burglary,andhadslippeddownthe side of the house and walked in through the kitchen door. They passed behind Enid, and climbed the stairs. She said: “I heard rustling a little


while later. I thought Bill had come in andwas looking for something. I


wasn’t that concerned,butwent into the hallway and kept calling himto seewhathe’dlost.Therewasno an- swer. “I can’t go up and down stairs


very easily, so I didn’t bother try- ing.” However, the mum of three did


notice the kitchen door swinging open, andwas just returning to the TVafter closingandlockingit,when she heard “an almighty crash”. “I thought Bill had fainted,” she


said. “Iwas about to go upstairs to helphim,whenthese twolads came running down. “One had something stuffed


under his grey jumper…I realised later it was the safe with all our


sentimental possessions in. They had jemmied it out of thewall. “They tried to escape through


the kitchendoor, but couldn’t.And the front door was locked. Their only way out was through the lounge, so I tried to shutmyself in and trap them in the hallway. But they were too strong, and I fell back on the couch as they forced the door open.” A farmer later recovered Enid’s


letters andphotos,which hadbeen abandoned in a field near Ton- bridge. But the medal and family jewellery had gone. “We’ve always been so careful,”


said Bill. “We warn our friends to be wary of cold callers. But what took us by surprise this time was howbrazen these people are…to walkpast youandinto your home. “We’re both unharmed, and


that’s themain thing. Butwewere the custodians of something very precious to our family, and now it’s gone.” The break-in happened at about 3.45pm on Sunday, July 21 at Hillary Road, Penenden Heath. Po- lice want to question two white men, aged between 18 and 24, around 5ft 8in tall and of slim build. One wore navy blue clothing and a bright blue bucket hat with a white band. Call Kent Police on 01622 604100, quoting crime reference 46/140283/19.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48