Major E. F. Lynn, D.S.O., M.C., C.E.

[QSAMIKE]

Good Afternoon Everyone......

I have not posted anything in a while so I thought that I would post this as one of my latest additions........
Will post some pictures and the write up that came with the medals, more to follow as I dig into this fantastic man.....

Mike

MAJOR EDISON FRANKLIN LYNN

Distinguished Service Order GV, Military Cross GV, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Paardeburg, Driefontein, 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals with Mentioned in Despatches Oakleaf to Major Edison Franklin Lynn Canadian Engineers late Royal Canadian Regiment. Lynn was born in Sidney Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada a Civil Engineer by profession, his diary for the Boer War 1899 to 1901 (103 pages) was published by Belleville, Ontario shortly after the War. Awarded the Military Cross for the defence of Gravenstafel Ridge Ypres 22nd to 23rd April 1915 and the DSO for the attack on Hill 70 on 15th August 1917, he was also twice Mentioned in Despatches. His personal diary and papers covering his service on the Western Front 1916 to 1919 are deposited in the Imperial War Museum Archives, he died in Hampstead, London in 1960.

Distinguished Service Order GV - Major E F Lynn Hill 70 August 15th, 1917
Military Cross GV - Major E F Lynn Ypres April 1915
Q.S.A. - 7509 Pte F Lynn Rl Candn Regt - Cape Colony, Paardeburg, Driefontein
1914/15 Star - Lieut E F Lynn Can Eng
British War & Victory Medals with MID Oakleaf - Major E F Lynn

Edison Franklin Lynn was born 17th June 1881 in Sidney Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada a Civil Engineer he served in the Boer War and published his diary (130 pages). He enlisted at Valcartier, Quebec 24th September 1914.

Lynn is mentioned in ‘Shoestring Soldiers’ the 1st Canadian Division at War as taking part in the defence of Gravenstafel Ridge 22nd to 23rd April 1915, awarded the Military Cross London Gazette 14th January 1916. No published citation but an award for Ypres April, 1915.

Mentioned in Despatches London Gazette 1st January 1916 (FM Sir John French) and London Gazette 28th December 1917 (FM Sir Douglas Haig).

Toronto Star – 10 February 1916:

WINNER OF MC IS MODEST  -  Lieut. Lynn, M.C., Praises Sappers Instead of Self

“I did appreciate the cable of congratulations from the Hydro on my ‘Mention in Despatches’ of F.M. Sir John French, and my being awarded the Military Cross,” writes Lieut. E. Frank Lynn to Major W. W. Pope, secretary of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission. All came as a real surprise, and when I wear my new decoration I will wear it for my sappers, for to them all honor is due. At all times, under most trying circumstances, they have been keen and steadfast, ready for anything in any place. The country is mostly flat, and when it is flat, it is very flat indeed. We have tried many new ways of getting rid of the water, but making it run down into the enemy trenches gives us most enjoyment. The enemy came out one night and dammed our big ditch which took care of the water from four square miles. This backed the water up in our trenches. Then with a party of fifty men with shovels, we made the ditch deeper between the dam and the enemy’s front line. We were protected by men with bombs.  When all the men were in we set guncotton in the dam and fired it. The rush of water was music to our ears. Fritz had wet trenches and much pumping for days after”.

Distinguished Service Order London Gazette 1st January 1918.
No published citation but an award for Hill 70 15th August 1917.

The attack on Hill 70

Haig ordered Sir Arthur Currie, who in June had been placed in command of the Canadian Corps, to launch a frontal assault on the city of Lens. Instead of attacking the heavily fortified city directly, Currie, after studying the ground, convinced his British superiors that a better plan would be to capture Hill 70, directly to the north. If this dominating hill could be taken, the Germans would have no choice but to counterattack. Currie planned for artillery and machine-guns to smash these German concentrations, thereby weakening their hold on the entire sector.

The Canadians attacked on 15 August and captured many of their objectives, including the high ground. They then held their positions against 21 determined German counterattacks over the next four days. Canadian probing attacks against Lens on 21 and 23 August were unsuccessful, but Currie’s forces had inflicted severe casualties on the enemy and gained the high ground overlooking the city. The Canadians lost more than 9,000 soldiers at Hill 70, but killed or wounded an estimated 25,000 Germans. Currie proved an able and innovative commander. His Canadian Corps would soon move north to help Haig and his faltering Passchendaele campaign.

Major Lynn’s Diaries and private papers are held by the Imperial War Museum

Diaries containing miscellaneous entries for 1916 – 1918 (376pp, 377pp and 380pp including addenda), together with five notebooks (196pp, 147pp, 151pp, 151pp and 113pp) containing additional, mostly more detailed, ms descriptions, for the periods 1 April – 30 August 1917, 15 September – 31 December 1917 and 11 January – 31 December 1918, written during his service on the Western Front with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, initially as a junior officer in the 1st Field Company Royal Engineers, 1st Canadian Division (March – November 1916), as an Assistant Field Engineer on Corps duties (November 1916 – February 1917), in the 2nd Field Company RE (January – March 1916 and, as commanding officer, February 1917 – May 1918) and in the 2nd Battalion Canadian Engineers (as second in command, May – December 1918) covering the Battles of Second Ypres (April – May 1915 see Vol 2 pp75 – 91 for vivid reminiscences), Mont Sorrel (June 1916), Flers Courcelette (September 1916 including brief references to tanks), Arras (April – May 1917), Third Ypres (October – November 1917), Amiens (August 1918) and the Canal du Nord (September 1918) and his Battalion’s subsequent progress through Belgium after the Armistice as well as service in Cologne as part of the Army of Occupation.
 

Edited May 5, 2015 by QSAMIKE

[Paul R]

Great history on this man.  I cannot get over the condition of these medals.  Very nice. 

[Mervyn Mitton]

Mike  -  a superb group to a gallant officer.  Your detailed history of the awards greatly increases their interest.    Mervyn

[QSAMIKE]

Good Morning Everyone.....

Thank you Paul and Mervyn........

I have been asked by PM if the DSO and MC are copies as the medals look to good.......  Well I can tell you that they are not......  I am a cleaner and replace ribbon, but keep old ribbon with the medals.....  The reason that I clean is that a Sergeant Major would never allow you on parade with dirty medals......  I know there has been many long and complicated and even emotional arguments about this subject.....  Clean or Not To Clean, What do you use to clean etc.......

But again no none of the medals are copies.......

Mike

 

 

 

[QSAMIKE]

Good Evening Everyone......

I have been able to find a photo of Major Lynn from another forum that I thought you might like to see......

Mike