Canada, CEF. A Medal Trio to Thomas Frederick Upton, No. 5 Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion

1915-15 Star (9731 Pte T.F. UPTON. 3/CAN:INF:); British War Medal (9731 PTE. T.F. UPTON. 3-CAN.INF.); and Victory Medal (9731 PTE. T.F. UPTON. 3-CAN.INF.). Naming is officially impressed. Mounted to a suspension with swing bar pinback, light contact, replacement ribbons, near extremely fine. Accompanied by: (i) a book entitled "With the First Canadian Contingent", published on behalf of the Canadian Field Comforts Commission of Toronto, published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited and the Musson Book Company Limited, printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Warson and Viney, Ltd. of London and Aylesbury, in 1915, hardcover with a light green cloth exterior, containing 120 pages, the text in black ink, the photos in black and white, a few with sepia-toned look, some of which are pasted in place, measuring 190 mm (w) x 250 mm (h) x 18 mm (d); and (ii) assorted family paperwork and documents. 

 

Footnote: Thomas Frederick Upton was born on August 19, 1891 in the Parish of Cairncastle, County Antrim, Ireland, the son of James W. Upton and Agnes Upton. He later immigrated to Canada, acquiring a loan from his father for passage aboard the S.S. Albania from Southampton on July 25, 1911. Upton enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Toronto on August 29, 1914, signing his Attestation Paper as a Private (9731) with No. 5 Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion, on September 22, 1914 at Valcartier Camp, at the age of 23, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Agnes Upton of Rainham, Kent, England, stating that he was not married, that he had no previous military service, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Machinist. 

 

His unit sailed for England on October 3, 1914, arriving in Plymouth Harbour on the 14th, then was posted to Bustard Camp on the 20th. Four months after arriving in England, they were inspected by King George V on February 4, 1915, then entered the French theatre a week later on February 11th. They soon marched to within ten miles of the Belgian border and it was his first experience in a trench on February 19th. They continued to be in and out of trenches, billeted in schools, factories and farmhouses. 

 

After two months overseas, he was at Ypres on April 23, 1915, when he suffered a bayonet wound to his left thigh. He was subsequently invalided to England, where he was admitted to Hornbrook V.A.D. Hospital at Chislehurst, Kent on April 25, 1915. He was transferred to Holbrook on September 15th where he would be discharged two weeks later on October 1st. After more than five months of recuperation, he was discharged to the Central Hospital of the 23rd Reserve Battalion on October 5, 1915. Private Upton was "invalided to Canada for subsequent disposal by militia authorities" and returned to Canada in November 1915. 

 

Although Private Upton is acknowledged in his paperwork as having been discharged at Toronto on February 7, 1916 "in consequence of being medically unfit", dated May 12, 1916 at Ottawa, however, his military career wasn't over yet. He was accepted for a second stint overseas, re-enlisting and signing a second Attestation Paper as a Private (510716) on February 7, 1916 at the Canadian Army Service Corps Training Depot in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 24 years and 5 months, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Agnes Upton of Rainham, Kent, England, stating that he was Single, that he had previously served with the 3rd Infantry Battalion, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Machinist, the attending medical physician noting that Upton's "left leg hardly good for long marching". 

 

Private Upton arrived in England aboard the S.S. Scandinavian, anchored off Plymouth on March 13, 1916, then was taken on strength at Napier Barracks, Shorncliffe on the 14th. That Fall, he was admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital at Shorncliffe on September 24, 1916 with "Pharyngitis" (an inflammation of the pharynx, resulting in a sore throat), which was later reported to be "Influenza" and was discharged four days later on the 28th. Upton was promoted to Acting Sergeant November 25, 1918 and posted to Shorncliffe on the 30th. 

He was struck of strength to the Canadian Army Service Corps at London on February 9, 1917 and it was here that he was appointed to the acting rank of Corporal on October 1, 1917 and granted permission to marry with allowances on March 10, 1918. Upon the ceasing of hostilities and still posted to England, he was promoted to Acting Staff Sergeant on June 18, 1919 and was struck off strength of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, to the overseas detachment of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on April 1, 1920, embarking for Canada aboard the S.S. Weheta on  May 13, 1921. 510716 Acting Staff Sergeant Thomas Frederick Upton was discharged on demobilization on May 23, 1921 at Toronto, credited with having served with the 3rd Infantry Battalion in France.