Saved from the dust bin

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

If anyone has noticed several of my posts involve odd and sometimes downright ugly specimens. I'm a sucker for stray dogs, as far as medals are concerned. At times I feel like the Dr. Frankinstien of collecting. Here is another stray that was neary lost for all time to the land fill.

Here is a group of medals with hat badge, collar badges and General Service pin that was given to me by my wife's aunt a number of years ago. My wife's uncle, now passed away, was helping an elderly couple to clean out their basement and in one of the boxes heading to the land fill (dust bin or garbage dump, depending on where you live) was this group. In my area we call it the "land fill", probably becuase it sounds like we are doing nature a favor rather than having a garbage dump. The elderly couple, Mr. & Mrs. Art Hickling, had no children. Art never served in the armed forces neither did Mrs. Hickling (I can't recall her first name). They had moved to Perth Ontario later in life and none of the locals knew much about their past or family and I guess no one bothered to ask. Therefore, I have no leads as to family members in other parts of Ontario. When my wife's uncle brought the medals to their attention they said they knew they were in the box and he could have them or throw them out.

After my wife's uncle passed away her aunt gave them to me for safe keeping knowing I would look after them. My wife's uncle's medals are in the Royal Canadian Legion museum in Perth, Ontario. If you are in Perth try to take time to see their museum it really is quite impressive. Don't wait too long as the membership is getting on in years and the interest in keeping the museum open is getting less each year. Sad.

All I know about this group is what anyone can tell just from looking at them. The recipient was Canadian, a volunteer, served in the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps and served in France and/or Germany. The medals are swing mounted which would make me think they were actually worn well after 1945. The General Service pin is serial numbered but from what I can find out the list of names and numbers has been lost by the government, if one ever existed. I have, however, a list of numbers and the dates associated with them. The pin is numbered 725348 and was made sometime detween Summer 1945 and Sept 6/45.

From the medals NOT present I would guess he served less than six months before the end of the war. There is no Defence Medal or 1939-45 Star both requiring more than six months service.

That's all I have on this group. I like to think it represents the Uknown Soldier of my collection.

Cheers

Brian

Edited April 28, 2007 by Brian Wolfe

[Michael Johnson]

A very nice grouping, especially with the first pattern R.C.E.M.E badges.

Good news! The service pin rolls do exist, and a member of the CEF Research Group was able to research two WWII pins as a test Class A

The bad news - they're all handwritten entries with no finding guide.

[Brian Wolfe]

A very nice grouping, especially with the first pattern R.C.E.M.E badges.

Good news! The service pin rolls do exist, and a member of the CEF Research Group was able to research two WWII pins as a test Class A

The bad news - they're all handwritten entries with no finding guide.

Hi Michael,

That is good news. Too bad about there being no finding guide. Where do these records reside? Perhaps I'll vacation in the Archives this year if that is where they are kept.

Cheers

Brian

[Michael Johnson]

Hi Michael,

That is good news. Too bad about there being no finding guide. Where do these records reside? Perhaps I'll vacation in the Archives this year if that is where they are kept.

Cheers

Brian

Be prepared for a long vacation. He waited months for them to find those two.