British War Medal (706609 A. CPL. W.J.S. HATTER. 54-CAN.INF.); and Victory Medal (706609 A. CPL. W.J.S. HATTER. 54-CAN.INF.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, original ribbons, contact marks and surface wear, very fine.
Footnote: William James Steel Hatter was born on November 17, 1884 in Chiswick, London, England. He was a resident of Duncan, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (776609) with the 103rd Infantry Battalion, on December 28, 1915 (with an overprinted date stamp on the paper of January 10, 1916) in Duncan, at the age of 31, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mrs. Ethel Mary Hatter of Duncan (later changed to Mrs. S. Johnson of Victoria, British Columbia), stating that he had no previous military service, that he was married and that his trade was that of Dairyman. The Battalion itself was raised and mobilized in Victoria, British Columbia under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed July 24, 1916 from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel E.C.J. Henniker with a strength of 37 officers and 939 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on July 31st. He was appointed Acting Corporal at Oxney Camp, then later transferred to the 16th Reserve Battalion on January 9, 1917. After four weeks he was transferred again, to the 54th Infantry Battalion on February 7th and reverted to the rank of Private at his own request on proceeding overseas with the 54th Infantry Battalion for service in the French theatre, arriving at the Canadian Base Depot in France on February 8th. Hatter was classified "PB" and attached to the Canadian Corps Composite Artillery Company from March 3 to August 29, 1917. He left for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on September 16, 1917, arriving the next day. Two and a half months later, he left for the 54th Infantry Battalion in the field on December 3rd, arriving the same day. He was awarded one Good Conduct Badge on January 10, 1918 and seven months after being awarded his badge, was to be Acting Lance Corporal on August 9th. Hatter was with the 54th Infantry Battalion when he was wounded in action at Cambrai, on September 2, 1918, suffering a gun shot (shrapnel) wound to his right arm near the elbow, causing a "fracture to the upper third of the radius" and "chipping off of a piece of the upper end". He was initially admitted to No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station the same day, before being transferred and admitted to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples on September 3rd. He relinquished his appointment to Acting Lance Corporal upon evacuation wounded and four days later, was invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen. He was subsequntly posted to the British Columbia Regimental Depot at Seaford on September 7th, before being admitted to No. 3 Western General Hospital at Cardiff on September 14, 1918, where he was treated for his wounds. After eleven and a half weeks at Cardiff, he was transferred to Granville Canadian Special Hospital at Buxton, Derbyshire on December 4, 1918 and was taken on strength of the 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion the same day. After six weeks at Buxton, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom on January 24, 1919, where he would recuperate for the next month, before being discharged on February 24th. His hospitalization was to total five and a half months, at the end of which, the doctors declaring that he was "well healed", with "all movement complete" and "normal strength in the arm and forearm", that he had "no disability whatever" and designating him as Category "A" (Fit for General Service). Hatter was struck off strength to Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park, Rhyl for return to Canada on March 18, 1919, sailing from Liverpool aboard the HMT Scotian on March 25th and arriving in Saint John, New Brunswick on April 4th. Acting Corporal William James Steel Hatter, 54th Infantry Battalion was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "U", No. 11 District Depot in Victoria, British Columbia, on April 10, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 239281. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died on July 31, 1975, in Victoria, at the age of 90.