An Early PPCLI KIA Group for Action at the Battle of Frezenberg CONSIGNMENT 20

An Early PPCLI KIA Group for Action at  the Battle of Frezenberg - 1914-15 Star (51120 Pte M. CARTER. P.P.C.L.I.); British War Medal (51120 PTE. M. CARTER. P.P.C.L.I.); and Victory Medal (51120 PTE. M. CARTER. P.P.C.L.I.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, original ribbon on the VM, extremely fine. Accompanied by his Memorial Plaque (MICHAEL CARTER) and his Memorial Cross (51120 Pte. M. CARTER). The MP named in raised lettering, the MC officially engraved with horizontal pinback. Extremely fine. (C:20)    Footnote: Michael Carter was born on September 29, 1877 in Montreal, Quebec. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (51120) on November 19, 1914 in Montreal, at the age of 37, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mary Ann Carter (nee Radcliffe), stating that he had twelve years' previous service with the Infantry and Artillery Volunteers, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Plumber. Carter was part of the "500 Draft", which was the first reinforcing draft of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on January 21, 1915, with the first detachment joining the Regiment at Dickebusch on March 1, 1915. The first group of the PPCLI had been in the trenches there since January 6th. The PPCLI was part of the British Army and had their baptism of fire south-east of St. Julien, at the Battle of Frezenberg (May 8 to 13, 1915), as part of the 28th Division during the Second Battle of Ypres. Private Crater was Killed in Action on the first day of the Battle of Frezenberg, May 8, 1915. He is remembered with honour on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, Grave Reference: Panel 10-58 and is commemorated on page 8 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. When all was said and done, Second Battle of Ypres cost the Allies 70,000 men, and the Germans 35,000, but was considered an Allied victory. The desired breakthrough of the Allied lines never came. The British were able to shorten their lines, though with Ypres itself closer to the front, it was eventually shelled into rubble. (C:20)