BURGLARS stole a Canadian Second World War hero's medal from the son who never knew him.

Abergavenny man Frank Cavaciuti’s airman father died before he was born in a 1943 bombing raid over Germany. He was just 21.

The medal given to his family by the Canadian government to mark his sacrifice, the Canadian Silver Cross, was one of five medals given to his father, and pieces of jewellery, stolen in a break-in at Mr Cavacuiti's Hardwick home overnight on October 19 and October 20.

The engagement ring belonging to Mr Cavaciuti’s wife Janet, 68, and some other jewellery was also stolen from a safe in his home which he found open, with the contents ‘scattered’ across his driveway.

“Thieves took the Canadian Cross which was my father’s,” the 70-year-old who runs Pioneer Avionics UK Ltd said.

“My father was a fighter during the second World War.

“He was a Canadian citizen who volunteered to come over here to fly with the RAF, but was killed in May 1943 on a raid in Dusseldorf in Germany.”

Arthur Thomson joined the RAF at the age of 19 as a volunteer coming over from New Brunswick in Canada.

He was one of the air crew which flew Avro Lancaster bombers before he was killed at the age of 21, on a mission on May 26, 1943, before his son was born.

The Memorial Cross (more often referred to as the Silver Cross) was awarded to mothers and widows of Canadian soldiers who died on active duty or whose death was attributed to such duty.

The crosses were sent automatically to mothers and wives who qualified, and could be worn by the recipients anytime, even though they were not themselves veterans.

The cross was engraved with the name, rank and service number of the son or husband.

“I had the medals in my safe,” a devastated Mr Cavaciuti added.

“His medal was one of many things that got stolen –it was not worth much but is of terrific sentimental value. My daughter, Keren Watkins, is a military pilot and I have got her trying to find out [the history of the medal].”

Mr Cavaciuti doesn’t know the full story behind the medal but said it was given to his grandparents after his father died at the age of 21.

It serves as the one of the only objects that links him to his father who died before he was born.

“They left one bit of paperwork of the presentation of the medal and they didn’t take his logbook,” he added.

“The medals will be the key in tracking the rest of the items down as they won’t be as common as other medals because they are Canadian.”

Gwent Police are asking anyone with information to come forward and call 101 quoting log 52 20/10/14