Canada. A First War Pair to Warrant Officer 2nd Class Charles Meredith Kittson, Canadian Forestry Corps

British War Medal (2203442 W.O. II. KITTSON C.F.C.); and Victory Medal (2203442 W.O. II. C.M. KITTSON C.F.C.). Naming is officially impressed, his initials having been omitted from the BWM. Mounted to a suspension with swing bar pinback, as worn by the veteran, very light contact, original ribbons, near extremely fine. 

 

Footnote: Charles Meredith Kittson was born on July 6, 1876 in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Elizabeth Kittson. He was a resident of North Vancouver, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (2203442) with the Canadian Forestry Corps, on March 20, 1917 in Vancouver, British Columbia, as part of the Vancouver Forestry Draft, at the age of 40, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mrs. Jeanie Kittson of North Vancouver, stating that he had four years' previous service with the 3rd Victoria Rifles of Canada, from 1891 to 1895, that he was Married, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Lumber Bookkeeper. During his medical examination, it was noted that he had a tattoo on his right forearm of a beaver with a maple leaf, with the inscription "Maple Leaf Forever" below. As of March 22, 1917, the couple had six children: five boys, William (age 14), Jack (age 10), Gordon (age 7), Robert (age 4) and Donald (age 6 months) and one daughter, Ruth (age 11). His mother, Elizabeth Kittson of North Vancouver was still alive, but his father was deceased. While training in Eastern Ontario, he was hospitalized at Brockville, Ontario on April 13, 1917, with a case of "Pneumonia", that was "severe with relapses". After seven and a half weeks in hospital, he made a complete recovery and was discharged to duty on June 4th. Three weeks after his discharge from hospital, Private Kittson sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Justicia on June 25, 1917, arriving in Liverpool, England on July 4th, where he was taken on strength at the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale. Seventeen days after arriving in England, he was struck off strength of the CFC Base Depot and posted to the 56th Company on July 21st, for overseas service in the French theatre, arriving in Le Havre on July 22nd and appointed Acting Corporal upon arrival. Three months after arriving in France, he was appointed Acting Sergeant on October 22, 1917. Kittson was placed on command to attend a Machine Gun Course at Rouen on March 29, 1918, rejoining his unit on May 17th. He was appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major and promoted to Warrant Officer 2nd Class on August 20, 1918.

 

Upon the ceasing of hostilities and having served eighteen months in France, Kittson returned to England, where he was taken on strength at the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale on January 15, 1919. He was struck off strength of the CFC Base Depot and posted to the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park, Rhyl, North Wales for return to Canada on January 30, 1919. He embarked Liverpool aboard the S.S. Scotian on February 19, 1919, arriving in Saint John, New Brunswick on February 28th. Warrant Officer 2nd Class Charles Meredith Kittson, Canadian Forestry Corps was discharged upon demobilization at District Depot No. 11 in Vancouver, on March 26, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 64157. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died on October 3, 1948, at the age of 72.