A First War Memorial Cross for the Battle of Amiens

A First War Memorial Cross for the Battle of Amiens - George V (766553 Spr. H. COLLINS). Naming is officially engraved. Very crisp detail, dark patina, contact marks, without ribbon, better than very fine. Accompanied by a CD containing twenty-four pages with copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records and Discharge Certificates.    Footnote: Harland Collins was born on July 9, 1897 in Killarney, Manitoba, the Son of Frederick George Collins and Beatrice Collins. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 123rd Infantry Battalion "Royal Grenadier Overseas Battalion 10th Regiment" on December 9, 1915 in Toronto, Ontario, naming his mother as his next-of-kin, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Bookkeeper. The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Toronto under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed August 8, 1916 aboard the S.S. Cameronia, under the command of Liuetenant-Colonel W.B. Kingsmill, with a strength of 12 officers and 369 other ranks, disembarking at Liverpool, England on the 19th. He is documented as having been at Ex. Camp from April 14-19, 1916, leaving for overseas service in the French theatre on March 9, arriving in Boulogne on the 10th. He was admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field General Hospital on June 27, 1915 and diagnosed with P.U.O. (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin = fever), treated for six days and discharged to duty on July 3rd. The following Spring, Collins suffered a "Mild Attack" of Coryza (a word describing the symptoms of a "cold". It describes the inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the nasal cavity which usually gives rise to the symptoms of nasal congestion and loss of smell, among other symptoms) and was hospitalized from April 14-17, 1916. He was commanded to man a Visual Signal Station on July 19, 1917, later retiring to his unit on the 24th. He also took a Signal Course on January 13, 1918. He was transferred to the 9th Canadian Engineers on May 29th, joining them in the field on the 30th and after two months with them, was again transferred, this time to the 3rd Canadian Division Signal Company on July 26th. Two weeks later, Collins was wounded on August 8, 1918, suffering a gun shot wound to his left thigh, just above the knee. He was evacuated and had the shrapnel removed from his left leg on the 9th at No. 10 General Hospital at Rouen. He was transferred to England and posted to the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot on August 11th, stuck off strength of the 3rd Canadian Division Signal Company. He continued to be hospitalized at No. 4 Southern General, Plymouth on August 12, 1918 for a "penetrating wound" that had developed into a "small septic wound". After one week, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital Bearwood at Wokingham on August 20th, where he would continue his recover from his wounds for the next month, until being discharged on September 13th. He was discharged from the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot on September 13th and transferred to the 3rd Canadian Command Depot at Seaford for the next seven weeks, then discharged on October 31, 1918. Collins was struck off strength to Canada, embarking Liverpool on December 15, 1918, aboard the H.M.T. Grampian, arriving in Saint John, New Brunswick on the 24th. Upon arrival in Toronto, he was taken on strength at No. 2 District Depot in Toronto, and later discharged upon demobilization on January 22, 1919, credited with having served his country in England and France. He died five years later, on July 2, 1924 at the age of 26. Although not clearly documented, it was determined that his death was related to his war service. His mother, Mrs. Beatrice Collins of Agincourt, Ontario received his Memorial Cross, as Harland Collins had married after his discharge, making his widow, Hazel Madeline Collins, also off Agincourt, ineligible for a Memorial Cross.