They discovered Willie served with the Leeds Rifles, an infantry battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment.
He was given a military discharge in 1917 after being wounded while fighting on The Western Front at the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt in France.
Next in the chain was Damon Sugden, president of the Pudsey and Farsley Royal British Legion branch, who placed an appeal for information in the Pudsey Squeaker community magazine.
“I got a phone call saying we think this Willie Greaves would be the father of Jeff Greaves,” said Mr Sugden, who coincidentally had already met Jeff through the Pudsey & District Civic Society.
“We just couldn’t believe it.
“It was just one of the moments of fate where everything comes together.”
Mr Greaves, who served with the Royal Navy, said: “Willie was injured in the trenches.
“He had shrapnel in his foot and for the rest of his life he had big, big problems as a result of this injury.”
Mr Steinberg, who presented Mr Greaves with his father’s medal, said: “Jeff was very touched and completely flabbergasted that this medal has turned up after all of these years.
“It’s quite a story – it’s a good news story, for once.”
