Michael Johnson

I note that only the H and A have periods after them. So I make it FS H.A. Burton as well.

But because there are nine crests it can't be earlier than 1905. In actual fact it wouldn't be earlier than late 1907, when Alberta received its coat of arms (Saskatchewan got theirs a year earlier). Give another year at the other end, and I think you're looking at a maximum window of 1907-1922, and four of those years, and doubtless the most flag-intensive, were the war years.

After 1905 (Alberta and Saskatchewan are on the crest). Before 1921, when the Canadian coat of arms was authorized. What's on the flag is an amalgamation of the nine provinces' coats of arms, as Canada didn't have one prior to 1921. So most probably a First World War flag.

Silver War Badge. Given to discharged soldiers to show they weren't slackers and "white feather bait"

I'd already turned 30. :blush:

Well, it was 25 years ago, when research was almost impossible. And it wasn't a group, just a single. And I was collecting Indian at the time. And I wasn't working.

A lovely one. I've got one only, to the 58th Bn. C.E.F., fortunately with a citation and a mention in the War Diary. I regret parting with one to a Tunnelling Company R.E. Ackrier Cross was born June Quarter 1893 in Kirkland Lancashire.

Along with Maxime Fournat's diplome I have a list of contributors (from the cheminots, usually 20 francs) to a memorial service at his grave after the Liberation, and a letter from a Resistance group to a Madame Louis, asking the widow how she is making out. A Hubert Louis was shot at Mont-Valérien December 4, 1941.

Here's the diploma for the Orient Medal. The fine print at the bottom says that recipients are responsible for getting the medal at their own cost. Maxime Fournat was a French railwayman who was in the FFL. He was shot by the Germans in 1942 at Mont Valerien.

Dorothea Knitting Mills was probably the biggest supplier or berets to the Canadian Army. But I think I've seen Grand'Mere as well. They look fine to me.

Correct. There were no officially named Canadian Defence Medals. Canadian Mercantile Marine War Medals were named using part of a prize money fund, but only that medal, and I believe they were engraved.

Infanterie Coloniale was my first thought as well. Doubtless the Germans had large stocks available.

He could have enlisted in 1916 and earned his LSGC by 1934. Stays in, perhaps switching to the R.A.S.C. or R.A.O.C., serves in Palestine. Perhaps is stationed in Persia or Iraq (aid to Russia, perhaps?) and gets the B.E.M. Given a commission around 1944. I once owned a B.E.M. to the R.I.A.S.C. for service in PAIForce.

OK, I'm having a go, having emailed them in French. I've cleared their anti-spam filter. Do you have a photo of the Yukon monument? He's remembered on at least four in France: http://www.memorial-genweb.org/~memorial2/html/fr/resultpatro.php?nom=Troccaz. The Digne one has a question mark because they originally showed him as 1939-45.

Well, it certainly doesn't look like this version of the Restoration coat of arms: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Bourbon_Restoration_(1815-30).svg

It appears to be a gorget, used by many armies as a mark of an officer. The slots for the ribbon to hang it around the officer's neck are clear. It is probably French Monarchy, but I'm not sure whether pre-Revolution or Restoration.

I don't know if there was a Canadian Militia contingent at the funeral, but in 1901 the white helmet would have been standard for them. Note the difference in patterns of water bottles.

I checked Mazeas, and I'm 99% sure it's the 31st Grey Regiment.

The officers' cap badges look vaguely familiar. I am reasonably sure that the unit isn't Toronto, but I'll need to pull my reference book to be sure. Something tells me 31st Grey Regiment. It certainly seems the right shape, and the 31st wore that style of uniform. The naval style peaked cap was introduced in 1902. As a rural corps, the 31st would probably not have recieved the Ross rifle by 1914. And, incidentally, the picket fence looks like one seen in photos of Niagara Camp.

I've tried tracing him through census records. His SGA entry shows him born in Volonne, but I can't find the family in either census bracketing his birth date. Just passing through?

PM me your email and I can send along the links to the ancestry material (it's done through their site, so I can't just forward it.) Did you get a reply from the Archives? That is the most important, as it will give his service information. And since he was born over 120 years ago there should be no problem getting it released.

Looks like it's Edmond Charles TROCCAZ 111 R.I. Died of wounds January 22, 1915 b. Basses-Alpes 1887 Ancestry has border crossings Canada-U.S. Edmond is there 1906 and 1914. Listed as a hard rock miner. In 1914 he went to Alaska (on his way to Yukon?). He would have been recalled in August 1914 in the general mobilization. He arrived 1911 going from Havre to New York. His next of kin is shown as "111e de Ligne at Toulon" meaning he had just finished his military service. He was probably out for a year in 1906, returned to do his military service in 1907, and did more than his compulsory, being discharged in 1911. (Veteran can correct me, but I believe it was two years' service normally, although only sons of widows could apply for release after one year.)

First, you must remember that anyone who was "mort pour la France" automatically received the Medaille Militaire and Croiz de Guerre.

I'm glad I never bothered to buy one to add to my great-uncle's Legion d'honneur (as I have added his Croix de Guerre, Victory and Commemorative medals). He was lucky to escape Verdun (Fleury-devant-Douaumont) with only

There are some experts over at the 1914-1918 site: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=55031&st=50&start=50 who probably can tell you which hospital based on the medal roll page FRX 101B5 276 The 1914-1918 Forum rules don't allow posting MICs, but quoting the above number should be sufficient.