A Afghan & First War Group to the Rifle Brigade & Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Second Afghan War and First World War Veteran's Group of Four, Private/Sergeant William Mulvey, A Company 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Afghanistan) / Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry/Pioneer Battalion/2nd Depot Battalion (First World War) Description: Afghanistan Medal 1878-1880, 1 Clasp - ALI MUSJID (No. 3484. Pte W. MULVEY. A. COY 4th BATT RIFLE BDE); 1914-15 Star (828 Pte W. MULVEY. P.P.C.L.I.); British War Medal (828 PTE. W. MULVEY. P.P.C.L.I.); and and Victory Medal (828 PTE. W. MULVEY. P.P.C.L.I.). Naming has been period engraved on the Afghanistan Medal, the First World War trio are officially impressed. Mounted to a cardboard strip, replacement ribbons, contact marks and surface wear, fine. Accompanied by copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records, Discharge Certificates, along with two pages from the Ottawa Citizen announcing his death. Footnote: William Mulvey was born on December 20, 1858 in London, England, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Mulvey (later of Toronto, Ontario). In the rank of Private, he served with the Rifle Brigade, with part of that service in Afghanistan during the Second Afghan War of 1878-1880, entitling him to the Afghanistan Medal with Ali Musjid clasp. He married Kate Blagdon in 1888 and by the turn of the century, had settled in Ottawa, Ontario, where he was employed as a plaster contractor. Mulver signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (828) on August 27, 1914 in Ottawa, stating his birth year as 1875 and his age as 38, when in reality he was overage at 55, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Kate Elizabeth Mulvey of Ottawa, stating that he had eight years' previous service with the Rifle Brigade, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Plasterer. The headquarters of the PPCLI on mobilization was Valcartier, Quebec. The Battalion sailed October 3, 1914 with a strength of 33 officers and 1,083 men under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel F.D. Farquhar, DSO, arriving in England shortly thereafter. He was admitted to Winchester Hospital with a case of Rheumatic Fever on December 10th, treated until the 14th and attended the same hospital until the 18th. Two days later, Mulvey embarked Southampton with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, arriving in France on December 20, 1914. He soon became sick while at Le Havre, was immediately invalided to England and admitted to No. 1 General Hospital at Netheravon on December 22nd. Sixteen days later, he was transferred on January 7, 1915 to the Base Convalescent Home, followed by another transfer to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, where he would remain until February 10th, then posted to Tidworth Military Hospital. In his Medical Report of an Invalid, dated March 4, 1915 at Tidworth, his age was finally revealed as 55, confirming his actual birth year as 1858. It was noted that his "General condition (is) poor, physically not for for active service", that he had an "Obscure infection, rheumatism, lit up by exposure on active service. From his physical condition it is evident this man should never have been passed as fit." It was recommended that he discharged as "Permanently unfit". He returned to Canada aboard the S.S. Metagami on March 26th and was discharged at Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 9th. Undeterred, Mulvey re-enlisted five months later, signing his Attestation Paper as a Private (166611) with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on September 27, 1915 in Ottawa, stating his birth year as 1870 and his age as 44, when in reality he was overage at 55, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Kate Elizabeth Mulvey of Ottawa, stating that he had twelve years' previous service with the Rifle Brigade, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Plasterer. He was with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion when he embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 6, 1915, arriving in England on December 14th. He was taken on strength at the Canadian Pioneer Training Depot on March 9th. In his Medical Report on an Invalid, he was declared by a Medical Board at Shorncliffe on August 29th as "Overage", noting that he "Is unfit for full military duty. Is useless for base duty as we have no work for him. Never been to the front. Military Service has not injured him." He was subsequently transferred to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre on September 25th, then placed on command to the Canadian Discharge Depot at Buxton for return to Canada on September 26, 1916. He was discharged to Canada at Bath on October 10th and designated "Being no longer physically fit for war service." It was also noted that he was "Fit for permanent Base Duty only and no suitable employment on such duty available although fit for employment in civil life." In his Proceedings of a Medical Board at the Discharge Depot Report, dated October 22nd, he was designated "Overage (56)" and was discharged from service at the Discharge Depot in Quebec City, Quebec on November 10th. Mulvey re-enlisted for a second time, signing his Attestation Paper (828) with the 2nd Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment on April 24, 1918, in Ottawa, stating his birth year as 1871 and his age as 46, when in reality he was overage at 59, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Kate Elizabeth Mulvey of Ottawa, stating that he had eleven months' previous service with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Plasterer. The second page of his Attestation Paper acknowledges his age as 57 and that he had previously been discharged from service as having been overage. He was taken on strength at No. 3 Battalion Garrison Regiment on May 1, 1918, followed by a transfer ten months later to the Corps of Military Staff Clerks in Ottawa on April 10, 1919, where he was posted to No. 9 Detachment (Section "A"), then promoted to Sergeant on May 4th. Sergeant William Mulvey, 2nd Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment was discharged upon demobilization at the Corps of Military Staff Clerks Headquarters in Ottawa, on April 30, 1920, at the age of 61. For his First World War service, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. As he had begun his Canadian Expeditionary Service with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, his rank and regiment reflect that on his medals. After the war, he returned to Ottawa and remained a resident of the city until his passing. His wife, Kate, died in 1939 and upon her death, Mulvey entered Ste. Anne de Bellevue Military Hospital in Ottawa as a patient. William Mulvey died on Thursday, October 17, 1946 at Ste. Anne de Bellevue Military Hospital, at the age of 87. He was survived by his son, George Mulvey of Toronto and two daughters, Louise Mulvey of Ottawa and Lilian Granger of Syracuse, New York. He was interred in Pinecrest Cemetery in Ottawa. Ex Ted Wigney Collection via Jeffery Hoare Auctions.