Old and Bold, Major Washington, single war medal

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Single WW1 British war medal (only entitlement) to Major George Washington, Canadian army....

Whether by default of design seems to have embellished his military service by adding the DCM and other medals as well as his length of service.....having said that he served with distinction at home and abroad.....he also had a liking for taking photographs of naked women...... !!

George Washington was born in 1872 in Leicester, England. he enlisted in the British Army serving 12 years with the Scots Greys, 2nd Dragoon Guards and 1 year with the Leicester Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa (note the five mentioned) and was discharged unfit. He never was later assigned to the Camel Corps in Egypt. He was never wounded and was only ever awarded the The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Wittebergen, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901.

On the 24th od May 1916, on the recommendation of the Duke of Connaught, Governor General of Canada, he was given a commission as the Adjutant of the 227th ( Manitoulin Island and Sudbury) Battalion. Attested into the 51st Soo Rifles and then the 227th battalion at Sault Ste. Marie. Promoted major and placed in charge of Number 1 Company

On the 10th of April 1917 he embarked from Halifax for England on the H.M.T. Carpathia with the 227th Battalion. On May 26th 1917 he was struck off strength of CEF in England for dispersal to Canada, surplus to establishment and discharged from the CEF in June 1916. On the 14th of February 1918 he was appointed conducting officer escorting wounded soldiers to Canada and new battalions back to England. (He claims to have experienced six submarine attacks during his eight trips across the ocean).

On the 7th of January 1919 the Toronto Telegram reports that Colonel Bickford has selected major Washington for special duty with the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force. There is no record that he did go to Russia and on the 20th of January 1919 he was attached to clearing service command, Quebec. In January 1920 he was S.O.S. of the CEF at St. John New Brunswick.

On the 20th of September 1920 he was suspended from the Toronto camera Club for taking nude pictures after being warned not to do so. He died on the 30th of March 1927.

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