A Queen's South Africa Medal to Corporal Armstrong; Lord Strathcona's Horse

 

Footnote: John Edward Armstrong was born on April 16, 1870 (as stated on his CEF Attestation Paper) in St. Catharines, Ontario. Armstrong enlisted as a Private (237) with Lord Strathcona's Horse for service in South Africa, on February 21, 1900 at Ottawa, Ontario, at the age of 34, naming his next-of-kin as Mrs. M.L. Sandham of Niagara, Ontario, stating that he had been a Lieutenant in the Field Battery in Toronto, Ontario, that he was not married, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Hunter and Trader. He disembarked in South Africa on April 11, 1900 and served with 4 Troop, A Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse during the Boer War. Armstrong was discharged on January 19, 1901 in South Africa and was "to remain there". He was subsequently invalided to England on March 9th and after one months' treatment, was officially discharged on April 9th. His records indicate he was entitled to the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps: South Africa 1901, Belfast, Orange Free State and Natal. It was delivered to him on October 11, 1901, while he was stationed at the Canadian Military Institute in Toronto. He was with the 19th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery when he was transferred to No. 3 Section, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Company on March 8, 1915. Armstrong enlisted for First World War service, signing his CEF Attestation Paper as a Lieutenant with the 5th Field Artillery Brigade CEF, No. 3 Section, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Company, initially on December 3, 1914 (which was later changed to May 10, 1915) at Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the age of 44, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mary Louise Armstrong of Chicago, Illinois (which was later changed to Toronto, Ontario), stating that he had previous service with four units (three years as a Lieutenant with the 9th Field Battery, three years as a Captain with the 7th Field Battery, one and three quarter years as a Non-Commissioned Officer with Lord Stathcona's Horse in South Africa and one year with the Canadian Mounted Rifles), that he was Married and that his trade was that of Railway Construction Inspector. During his medical examination, it was noted that he had "B.A.E." tattooed on his his left forearm. He was with the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Company CFA, when he was transferred to No. 6 Reserve Brigade CFA at St, Martins Plain on August 28, 1915. Armstrong was admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital on June 5, 1916, initially diagnosed with "Neurasthenia" (denoting a condition with symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, headache, neuralgia and depressed mood), at the age of 46. In his Proceedings of a Medical Board Report, dated June 12, 1916 at the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre at Shorncliffe, the doctor noted that "this officer complains of pain in back of his head and loss of memory. He recalls a history of falling from a chair in May 1915, striking his occipital (back of head) on a tent peg. At the time he paid no special attention to this." He concluded that it was "not sufficient to prevent him performing his ordinary work", the doctor declaring him "Fit" for General Service, with Armstrong being discharged from medical care on June 23rd. While he was in hospital, he was put under arrest on June 9th and was suspended from duty, which was to last until July 24th, when he was sentenced. Five days after being discharged from hospital, Armstrong was tried by General Court Martial at Shorncliffe on June 28, 1916. The charges levelled against Lieutenant John Edward Armstrong, Reserve Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery included: (1) SECT 40 Neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline "In that he at Shorncliffe between Oct. 19th 1915 and April 1st 1916 while acting as mess secretary, officers mess, Res Bde C.F.A. failed to keep proper books of accounts as it was his duty to do so"; (2) SECT 40 Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline "In that he at the place and between the times aforesaid while acting as such secretary as aforesaid discharged his duties as negligently as to cause a loss to the said mess of 748 (pounds) or thereabouts"; (3) SECT 25 In a book signed by him knowingly making a fraudulent statement "In that he at Shorncliffe on or about the 1st of March 1916 in the statement of the officers mess account for the amount for the month of Feb. 1916 signed by him fraudulently stated that the current accounts for which said mess was liable amounted to 250 (pounds) whereas in fact, as he well knew such accounts amounted to a far larger sum being not less than 1,000 (pounds)"; (4) SECT 41 Committing a civil offence that is to say fraudulent misappropriation of property "In that he at Shorncliffe on or about the 10th of Nov. 1915 while acting as such secretary as aforesaid applied 3:17:0 (pounds) being part of the monies of the said mess to his own use with intent to fraud"; (5) SECT 41 Committing a civil offence that is to say fraudulent misappropriation of property "In that he at Shorncliffe on or about Jan. 8th 1916 while acting as such secretary as aforesaid applied to his own use 6:4:7 (pounds) being part of the monies of the said mess with intent to defraud"; and (6) SECT 16 Behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman. "In that he at Shorncliffe between Jan. 12th 1916 and March 25th 1916 while acting as such secretary as aforesaid applied to his own use the following goods the price of which he caused to be debited to the account of the said mess, namely: 5 gal. of No. 7 Scottish Whiskey, 4 Bottles of Dewars Whiskey, 7 Doz. Bottles of Whitbreads Stout, 6 Bottles of Sparkling Moselle, 4 Bottles of Port". Armstrong was found "Not Guilty" on the first charge but found "Guilty" on the remaining five charges. He was sentenced accordingly, as he was "cashiered and (sentenced to) imprisonment without hard labour for one year". Armstrong was struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on July 24, 1916, returning to Canada aboard the S.S. Megantic on August 14th, arriving home on the 28th. He was taken on strength at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where he performed the duties of an officer, effective September 1, 1916. During the First World War, he was credited with having served in England from May 16, 1915 to July 24, 1916. A letter inquiring as to the eligibility of Lieutenant Armstrong for veterans' allowance was received by the Director of Records, Department of National Defence, from the War Veterans' Allowance Board "South African", dated July 6, 1938. He died on October 20, 1957, at the age of 87.