Nato medal is found in Primrose Hill car park
Published: August 25, 2011
by TOM FOOT
IT is a prized shield awarded for “selfless service, dedication and loyalty” while working for Nato.
Courtney Pope received it in March 2008 after two years stationed with a “squadron” of computer experts in the international military alliance’s headquarters in Izmir, Turkey. But who is Courtney Pope?
The shield bears the emblem of the Nato Communications Services Agency – emblazoned with a lighting bolt flashing across insignia and set to a striking yellow backdrop. How it came to be dumped on the floor in the car park of the Oldfield sheltered housing block in Primrose Hill is not known.
A woman – who did not want to be named – dropped it into the New Journal offices last night (Wednesday).
She said: “It was the day after the riots and it was round the back of the estate in the car park. It was just lying there, tossed on the floor. It looked as though somebody had been robbed and they probably thought it wasn’t worth anything and threw it away – but it will be worth a lot to the person who owns it.”
She added: “I was going to hand it in to the police but I thought they probably wouldn’t do anything about it so I brought it in to the Camden New Journal.”
According to its website, “wherever Nato deploys on operations or exercises, NCSA is there” and its squadron teams “are responsible for providing policy advice back to headquarters”.
Nato was unavailable for comment.
• Anyone who knows the owner of the medal can contact the New Journal on 0207 419 9000