Stolen WWII medals returned to Vic family

War medals stolen three years ago will be returned to a Victorian family this Remembrance Day.

The medals belonged to the late William Leslie Edwards who served in the 2/3 Ordnance Store Company during World War II, and who was a prisoner of war in Changi.

He died in 1981.

Police recovered the medals from a thief who could not remember where he stole them from.

Sergeant Brendan Dowling scoured through WWII archives, and ultimately tracked down Mr Edwards' surviving brother Noel who lives in Melbourne.

Sgt Dowling will present the 1939-1945 Star, The Pacific Star, the War Medal and Australian Service Medal to Noel Edwards on Tuesday.

Mr Edwards, 82, said he was thrilled to get the medals back, and was keen to show them to his granddaughter and to share his brother's story.

"It's an amazing feeling to get these medals back and I take my hat off to Sergeant Dowling," he said.

"If anyone deserves a medal, he does."