A Glasgow Second World War hero’s lost medals have been rediscovered and given to his closest living relative.

Lieutenant Colonel William French, who lived in the West End, won an OBE, Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and various campaign medals whilst fighting with the The Glasgow Highlanders, 1st Battalion.

After the war, he spent 36 years as a partner at the accountancy firm French and Cowan, which is now called French Duncan, before dying unmarried in 1971 with no heir.

His lost medals were found in a safe tucked away in French Duncan’s offices four years ago, sparking a quest to find one of his relatives.

The company eventually tracked down Helen Woods, 78, who was close to her uncle until his death, and gave her the medals at their offices in Finnieston yesterday.

In the 1970s, she contacted the Ministry of Defence and her uncle’s battalion, but failed to find his medals.

Helen, a retired doctor and mum of two who was born and educated in Glasgow but now lives in Nantwich, Cheshire, said: “When Uncle Willy died, I searched everywhere.

“I knew he fought in World War II, because our family albums were full of pictures of the boys going to war.

“He must have been quite a hero to the regiment, because they clubbed together to buy him a watch.

“But I just couldn’t find the medals.”

After discovering the lost treasures, French Duncan hired a private investigator to search for his relatives.

Earlier this year, Helen received a call she’d spent more than 40 years waiting for.

“I can’t tell you what it meant to me,” she said.

A document signed by Field Marshal Montgomery revealed that Colonel French was awarded the DSO after leading an attack on Afferden, in the Netherlands, on the night of February 17 and 18, 1945.

“The complete success of this operation was undoubtedly mainly due to the gallant leadership and skilful handling of the battalion by Lt. Col. French,” Montgomery wrote.

Graeme Finnie, managing partner of French Duncan, said it was “only right and fitting that we make sure his medals are returned to his family”.

He added: “I am delighted that we are now able to give these to Helen in memory of her uncle who bravely served his country, and this firm is proud to have been a part of his history.”

Meanwhile, a First World War centenary sculpture by internationally renowned artist Christine Borland has been unveiled.

Christine Borland, 53, spent a year carrying out research and visiting Flanders in Belgium before creating her World War I inspired sculpture - titled I Say Nothing.

The Turner-Prize nominated Scottish artist, from Darvel, East Ayrshire, received support from 14-18NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, and Art Fund to spend two years working with Glasgow Museums WW1 collections.

The large-scale sculpture was unveiled today (thur) and will take pride of place on the south balcony at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

As part of her research, Borland travelled to Flanders in Belgium with a non-accessioned white ceramic invalid feeder cup, which is the focus of the artwork, and had it exploded in a controlled detonation.

Over the period of a year, Borland became an “artist in residence” at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre in the city’s Nitshill, where she worked with curators and researchers.

Working through 2,000 objects from WWI, Borland narrowed her focus research collection down to 12 items.

Borland said: “One of the boxes with nothing inside had ‘I say nothing’ written on it.

“I wanted things that spoke more about their absence than their presence.

“I found feeder cups which were used to help feed injured soldiers.

“Then I found out two hunger-striking sisters that studied at Glasgow University were force fed using the same type of cups after they were arrested while attending a suffragette protest in London.”

Having been inspired by the contrast in uses for the seemingly unassuming ceramic cups, Borland was further influenced after several visits to Flanders.

I Say Nothing is on display on the south balcony at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from October 12 and is free to view.