Vimy Militaria - What's New

Vimy Militaria
P.O. Box 17018
Portobello RO
1937 Portobello Rd
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K4A 4W8

What's New!

Welcome to the latest Vimy Militaria update! This month's additions continue my recent theme of variety, and I am optimistic there are items that will be of interest regardless of your collecting focus. Highlights include an attractive group to a Canadian First World War RAF casualty, as well as a quantity of unresearched medals from an older collection. I have also added more badges and militaria, including a nice older Lord Strathcona's Horse (RC) ceremonial dress helmet. The Books section has also been updated, and a 25% discount is being offered for any orders placed before 1 July 2022. Frequent visitors will note that a number of items have had an invitation to make an offer added; these are generally consignment items where my client has indicated some openness to consider reasonable offers, and I am happy to convey these and work with both parties to see if scope for a sale exists. This feature has proven popular, and several clients have taken advantage of this option to secure items of interest. As always, I encourage you to contact me directly with your wants, as I am happy to keep these on file and to contact you if something in your area of interest arrives.

Please keep visiting regularly!

Best wishes,

Jim Godefroy

New Arrivals

Three. British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal, and Memorial Plaque. Pair named to LIEUT. A. HOLLINGWORTH. Plaque named ALBERT HOLLINGSWORTH. Albert Hollingworth was born on 30 October 1890 in Widnes, Lancashire, England. He was working as a foreman at Dominion Bridge when he enlisted in the 148th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force at Montreal, Quebec on 16 December 1915. He had previous service as a member of the 58th Battalion Westmount Rifles. Hollingworth arrived in the United Kingdom on 6 October 1916. He was made an acting Serjeant on 26 September 1916, and sent to the Cadet Military School at Witley on 1 December 1916. He was attached to the 20th Reserve Battalion on 3 February 1917, and commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant on 19 March. Hollingworth was sent on command (seconded) to the Royal Flying Corps at Reading on 16 June 1917, having been sent to France and attached to 8th Squadron Royal Flying Corps as a Flying Officer Observer on 20 April 1917. He continued to be a member of the CEF, posted to the 1st Quebec Regiment on 24 September 1917 while being carried on the Home Establishment of the RFC. On 26 March 1918, he was made a flying officer. Hollingworth was killed 25 June 1918 while serving with No. 8 Squadron RAF. He is buried at the CWGC's St. Riquier British Cemetery, Somme, France. Group is swing mounted on older ribbons on a stained piece of oak plank. The BWM is mounted backwards, showing the reverse of the medal rather than the effigy of King George V. While his surname is misspelled on his plaque, his pair is correctly named; as Hollingworth remained a member of the CEF throughout his service despite being seconded to the RFC/RAF, his medals are named in the style typically seen on medals named to Canadian Army officers. Group is accompanied by paper copy research file that includes CEF service record and details of his RAF service.

EF Condition $2000

Six. 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Burma Star, Italy Star, War Medal 1939-45 with Mention in Dispatches, and Naval General Service Medal 1909-62 with clasp 'MINESWEEPING 1945-51'. NGS named to P/SSX 790099 J. BALDOCK A.B. R.N. With notes indicating group was purchased from Bob Drummond, LaSalle, Quebec, after it appeared in the latter's May 1981 Medals and Militaria sales list as item #90. Mounted for display on faded original ribbons, with NGS attached to mount with a staple.

Good VF Condition $500

One. A Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) brass ceremonial dress helmet with King's Crown helmet plate. This style of helmet was adopted by Lord Strathcona's Horse (RC) in 1911. This helmet is an older example, but has had a new liner added, as is typical given that they have continued to worn by members of the unit on ceremonial occasions, and by the unit's Ceremonial Mounted Troop, to this day. One small dent to rear (see photos), and some curling/shrinkage of the green leather on the inside peak of the helmet.

Good VF Condition $2000

One. A Royal Canadian Air Force cap badge. In stamped gilded metal with original lugs on reverse. Maker marked SCULLY MONTREAL

Good VF Condition $85

One. Memorial Cross (GV). Named to 18689 Pte. W. SMITH. William Smith was born in Ottawa, Ontario on 28 May 1893. He joined the 3rd Batallion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Valcartier, Quebec on 23 September 1914, giving his trade as farmer, with his next of kin his brother, who was living in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, and indicated that he had previous military service, having spent two years in the 35th Alberta Light Horse. Smith was reported as missing, and then later recognized as having been killed in action during fighting by the 3rd Battalion near the Duck's Bill feature (a parapet that extended into no-man's land, approximately 75 yards from the enemy's front line) at Givenchy on 17 June 1915. While his service file indicates he was buried where he fell at the Duck's Bill feature, Smith's remains were later lost during subsequent fighting, and he is now commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, France. An early Canadian casualty of the 1st Canadian Division.

Good VF Condition $275

Family group. Five. 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal (cupro-nickle), War Medal 1939-45 (cupro-nickle),and Efficiency Medal (GVI) with bar Territorial. EM named to S. 69994 S.SJT. W.H.C. KENNARD. R.A.S.C.. Accompanied by a General Service Medal 1918-62 with clasp MALAYA. Named to Q/1002262 PTE. M.E. BALL. QARANC. Kennard's group is accompanied by a 21st Army Group certificate named to S/69994 S/Serjeant Warwick Henry Kennard, dated 8 February 1946 and signed by Field Marshall B.L. Montgomery. The medal to Pte Ball, whose relationship to Kennard has not been researched, is in its original box of issue labelled to Ball. An interesting grouping worthy of further research.

VF Condition $350

One. A Royal Canadian Air Force blazer crest in embroidered bullion thread c. 1953-1968. Has been used on a veteran's blazer, but is in good condition for its age.

Good VF Condition $25

One. A Canadian Expeditionary Force Class A War Service Badge. Numbered 376855. With original screw back fastener.

Good VF Condition $35

One. China Medal 1900. Named to C. CURRAN. A.B. H.M.S. ISIS. Un-researched. Loose on a clean piece of older original ribbon.

Good VF Condition $575

One. A Canadian YMCA sweetheart pin. Maker marked with a capital W surrounded by two maple leafs, and marked STERLING as well. With original pin-back fastener, which is in working order.

Good VF Condition $75

One. Afghanistan Medal 1878-80. Named to 1134 PTE. T. DAVEY. 78TH FOOT. Un-researched. Loose on modern ribbon.

Good VF Condition $225

Three. A cap badge and set of collar badges for the Montreal Highland Cadets Battalion. Mazeas CD.5. Cap badge is maker marked W. SCULLY MONTREAL on reverse. Collars have a slightly different finish, with one more gilded than the other. Some verdegris around lugs on cap badge.

Good VF Condition $85

One. A Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada cap badge c.1939. Mazeas M.11. Badge has had one lug repaired with heavy use of solder.

F Condition $35

Two. A pair of Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada sporran badges. One badge has a flat tang that appears to be broken off, and the other has a single flat lug.

F Condition $50

One. British War Medal 1914-20. Named to 2293686 PTE. J.P. TURNER L.S.H. - R.C.- John Peter Turner was born in Union Point, Manitoba on 15 September 1885. He was single and working as a machinist when he was drafted under the Military Service Act and enlisted in Depot Squadron of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) at Winnipeg, Manitoba on 4 January 1918. He arrived in France on 10 August 1918, joining the regiment on 28 August a couple of weeks after it had participated in the battle of Amiens. Injured by a kick from a horse on 4 October 1918, he was discharged from hospital on 10 November 1918. Medal is un-mounted/loose on clean older ribbon.

EF Condition $150

One. King's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with clasps "SOUTH AFRICA 1901", "SOUTH AFRICA 1902". Named in impressed capitals to 3635 PTE. J. KAY. SCOT: RIFLES. Un-researched. Court-mounted on card on clean newer ribbon.

Good VF Condition $150

One. A 119 Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force cap badge. Babin E-119. Pin back. Maker marked PATTERSON BROS - SOO- on reverse.

VF Condition $60

Two. British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal. Named to 602 PTE. H.C. KAY. R.A.M.C. Henry Kay served in the Middlesex Regiment (service #208218), the Army Service Corps (service #T4/066162), and the Royal Army Medical Corps. Pair is unresearched other than the details provided, which were drawn from the UK National Archives website. Medals mounted as worn on clean but faded original ribbons.

Good VF Condition $50

One. Memorial Plaque. Named SYDNEY GEORGE HARLAND. With copy of Record of Service and CWGC details indicating that Harland was born 31 March 1896, and joined the RN as a Boy (service # J20291) on 10 September 1912. He was killed in action while serving on the HMS Queen Mary at Jutland on 31 May 1916. HMS Queen Mary was sunk thirty eight minutes into the battle of Jutland after being struck by a salvo from the German battlecruiser Derfflinger. HMS Queen Mary blew up after being hit by two 12 inch shells on "A" and "B" turret and their respective magazines were detonated. A total of 1,266 men lost their lives when the ship sank.

VF Condition $350

One. Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with clasps 'CAPE COLONY', 'TRANSVAAL', 'SOUTH AFRICA 1902'. Named to 291 BGLR: T.C. DONAGHY. CANADIAN M.R. Thomas C. Donaghy was born in Durham, Ontario, and was 19 years old and serving as a Trumpeter in A Squadron of the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Toronto when he enrolled in the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles on 11 December 1901. As a member of the unit, he would have participated in the unit's most famous action, at Hart's River (Boschbult) on 31 March 1902. Medal is court-mounted on clean modern ribbon. An interesting medal to a Permanent Force soldier of the RCD, with more research potential.

Good VF Condition $1000

medals@vimy.ca