David_Bluestein Posted 29 July , 2004 Share Posted 29 July , 2004 I Wanted to share my new gems with the forum. Thanks in advance for reading, and as always, any thoughts and comments are always welcome. Here goes.... (Medal on the right is a very seldom seen 'Mothers in Sacrifice Medal'. I know little about it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 29 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2004 A Closer look... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 29 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2004 commemorated on the Vimy Memorial France. He was 26 years of age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 29 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2004 Buried at Dranoutre Military Cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley Posted 29 July , 2004 Share Posted 29 July , 2004 David, Thank You for sharing these with us. I have never seen a Canadian "Mother's Medal" before. cheers Shelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 29 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2004 (Note BWM is erased) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.S.Regt. Posted 29 July , 2004 Share Posted 29 July , 2004 David Some nice groups I have a couple to the 25th killed trying to take Regina Trench like your RCR man. I like Shelley have never seen the Mothers in Sacrifice Medal a great peice to go with your group. Best regards N.S.Regt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 30 July , 2004 Share Posted 30 July , 2004 I hope David will excuse my use of his thread but I have a Memorial Cross that I picked up a while back that I thought might be of interest. As can be seen from the photo below, the cross is a George V (GRI) variety awarded to Major Arthur Boynton Slee, MC. The interesting thing about the cross is that Major Slee was born in Kent; commissioned in the Royal Field Artillery; was awarded the MC for service with the Royal Garrison Artillery in the Great War and survived the war. He immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1930 and in 1937 he was appointed Officer Commanding, 62nd Field Battery (Howitzer), Royal Canadian Artillery at Duncan, B. C. Slee died of a heart attack on 31 October 1940 while on active service and two Memorial Crosses were issued, one to his wife (Registration No. 430 and one to his mother (Registration No. 431.) On 5 July 1940 it was decided to issue the Canadian Memorial Cross for World War II casualties and a contract for 8000 crosses was awarded to Breadner Co. Ltd of Ottawa. The die that was prepared, though, had the George V (GRI) cypher rather than the George VI (G VI R) cypher. Major Slee's Memorial Cross is one of the George V cypher crosses manufactured by Breadner Ltd. It is not known how many of the Breadner crosses with the GRI cypher were issued to relatives of World War II casualties, but in 1942, 3300 of the crosses were returned to Breadner to have the GRI cypher changed to the new G VI R cypher. If anyone has a photo of Major Slee, I would love to hear about it. Regards. Dick Flory Major Slee's Memorial Cross: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9th Black Watch Posted 30 July , 2004 Share Posted 30 July , 2004 Hi David, Coming from Fife I was particularly interested in the groups to Mercer and Keay. I spent most of Wednesday in Dunfermline library looking through copies of the local press 1914-18. It's only a few miles from where I live and I'll be visiting again in the next two or three weeks. I'd be happy to look for any details on Mercer. Likewise I recently acquired a 14/15 trio to L.-Cpl. W. B. Watson, 7th Royal Highlanders, killed in action, 24 May 1915 - one of the first casualties suffered by the battalion who arrived in Boulogne on the 2 May. He was also born in Anstruther. As a St. Andrews undergraduate I spent a fair amount of time in the East Neuk and will make a note to check the East Fife Record for any mention of Keay next chance I get. It may take a few weeks but I will get back to you. Not sure if their names appear on the respective memorials but I'll have a look and take photographs if they're there. Unfortunately I don't know anything else about either man, but Mercer doesn't appear in the Dunfermline High School Roll of Honour. Best wishes, Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 31 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2004 Thanks to all above for your comments. I will keep the forum up to date on my research of these soldiers. Derek, Thanks for your kind offer of help, I have sent your PM. Regards David Bluestein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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