AJEX surprises 101 year old with late husband’s World War Two medals on her birthday
Family, friends, police community officers and Mayor of Brent attend tea party celebration for Martha Abraham
Martha Abraham was left “absolutely grateful and elated” after being surprised with her late husband Stanley Diamondstone’s Second World War medals at a tea party marking her 101st birthday.
The medals were reclaimed through AJEX – The Jewish Military Association’s Claim Your Medals campaign, which helps Jewish veterans, families and descendants identify, reclaim or replace medals from war and other military service.
Stanley Diamondstone served as a radio operator in the RAF during the second World War. It is believed his medals were either never received or were lost. AJEX identified and mounted the correct medal set: the 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939–45 before presenting them to Martha as a surprise.
Martha, joined by three generations of her family, including her 81-year-old daughter, her granddaughter and her great-great-great nephew, said: “I was absolutely grateful and elated. It made my day to receive the medals as such a wonderful surprise. To be with all these wonderful friends and to receive all their gifts and best wishes was wonderful too.”
Presenting the medals, honorary AJEX president Mike Bluestone, alongside Air Commodore Craig Watson, said: “It was a fabulous and uplifting experience to present Martha with her late husband’s war medals. The atmosphere during the presentation in the room was phenomenal.”
The missing medals were discovered thanks to Stan Kaye, a Jewish Blind & Disabled tenant, AJEX member and volunteer, who learned during a conversation with Martha that her late husband had never received them.
Martha and Stanley met in an air raid shelter in 1942. After they left the shelter and crossed the road together, Stanley turned to her and said: “I am going to marry you.”
Family, friends, residents, police community officers and the Mayor of Brent, Cllr Ryan Hack, attended the celebration.
AJEX’s Claim Your Medals campaign, led by AJEX Emeritus Chair Dan Fox, has already identified more than 351 medals across 132 families.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
