A First War Private Hargreaves to the 49th Infantry Battalion

A First War Private Hargreaves to the 49th Infantry Battalion - British War Medal (811751 PTE. R. HARGREAVES. 49-CAN.INF.); and Victory Medal (811751 PTE. R. HARGREAVES. 49-CAN.INF.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, edge nicks on the BWM, gilt wear on the VM, light contact, very fine. Accompanied by a CEF For Service at the Front Badge (bronze and enamels, numbered "242296" on the reverse, 22.3 mm, screwback), two Canadian Legion British Empire Service League Badges (bronze and enamels, one is maker marked "W. SCULLY MONTREAL", dated "1927" and numbered "51890" on the reverse, 18.5 mm x 25.2 mm, the other is maker marked "DINGWALL WINNIPEG" and numbered "5881", 18 mm x 23.5 mm, both with screwbacks), along with copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records, Pay Records, Discharge Certificates and Will. Footnote: Rawson Hargreaves was born on January 17, 1887 in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, England, the son of John Hargreaves and Bemigna Hargreaves. He was a resident of Edmonton, Alberta when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private with the 138th Infantry Battalion "Edmonton Battalion", on January 14, 1916 in Edmonton, three days shy of his 29th birthday, naming his next-of-kin as his father, John Hargreaves of Cleckheaton (which was later changed to his wife, Carrie Hargreaves (nee Stott)), stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Farm Hand. He signed his Will on August 1, 1916, leaving his personal estate to Carrie Stott of Cleckheaton, whom he later married. The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Edmonton, under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 22, 1916 aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. Belcher with a strength of 42 officers and 870 other ranks, arriving in England on the 30th. He was granted permission to marry Carrie Stott, on September 22, 1916 at Witley Camp. The Battalion was broken up and absorbed into the 47th, 50th, 128th, 137th and 175th Infantry Battalions, of which Hargreaves was assigned to the latter on October 26, 1916. Five weeks after joining the 175th Infantry Battalion "Medicine Hat Battalion", he was transferred to the 49th Infantry Battalion out of Edmonton, at Seaford Camp on November 30, 1916, arriving the next day at the Canadian Base Depot in France. He left for his new unit onDecember 13th joining them in the field shortly thereafter. He was briefly attached to the 3rd Canadian Divisional Pack Training Centre in July 1917. After serving twenty-six months in the French theatre and upon the ceasing of hostilities, he returned to England and was posted to the Army Regimental Depot on February 13, 1919. After one month, he was posted to the Canadian Discharge Depot at Buxton, Derbyshire on March 12th, then struck off strength for return to Canada on April 11, 1919. Hargreaves was discharged upon demobilization at the Clearing Depot, Military District No.7 in St. John, New Brunswick, on April 27, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, the United Kingdom and twenty-six months in France, and entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 131589. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his First World War service.