Description: Korea Medal (SH 4806 GB SUTHERLAND); United Nations Korea Medal (SH 4806 GB SUTHERLAND). Naming is officially impressed on the KM, privately engraved on the UNKM. Un-mounted, original ribbons, light contact, near extremely fine. Accompanied by his Canadian Army Active Service Certificate, Service Records for both the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (Second World War) and the Royal Canadian Engineers (Korean War, with much of the records blacked out for security and personal reasons) and Department of Veterans Affairs Medal Index Card.
Footnote: Gordon Benjamin Sutherland served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (V-16740) during the Second World War, beginning on January 3, 1942, first as an Ordinary Seaman and later, as an Able Seaman, effective March 25, 1943. He served at various bases and aboard various ships, including: Port Arthur, Naden, Givenchy, Stadacona, Brantford, Peregrine, Cornwallis, Protector, Chaleur, Griffon, among others, before being discharged upon demobilization on August 24, 1945. For his Second World War Service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Atlantic Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, "General Service" Class, number 249785. Sutherland was taken on strength from the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and allocated to the Royal Canadian Engineers at No. 8 Personnel Depot, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on November 12, 1951 as a Sapper Recruit (SH 4806). He was transferred seventeen days later to HE 23rd Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers, at Chilliwack, British Columbia, on November 29th and attached for Rations to the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering from November 29, 1951 until March 18, 1952, when he embarked North America for the Far East. He arrived in Japan on April 11th and was reclassified as a Sapper Second Class on May 12th.
Sutherland soon found himself in the Korean theatre with the 23rd Field Squadron, his service "blacked out" in his records, until he embarked Korea, disembarking in Japan on February 18, 1953. He left the Far East in early April 1953, returning to No. 8 Personnel Depot in Winnipeg on April 12th, where he was classified a Sapper First Class on May 12th. Sutherland was to see three transfers in the second half of 1953 while the Royal Canadian Engineers at Vedder Crossing (Chilliwack): to the 60th Field Squadron on June 18, 1953, to the 23rd Field Squadron on July 11th and to the 1st Field Squadron on November 30th. He qualified as a Plummer Group 1 on January 8, 1954 and returned to No. 11 Personnel Depot for release on October 15, 1954. Sutherland was discharged on December 13, 1954, at No. 11 Personnel Depot in Vancouver, British Columbia, credited with having served in Canada and the Far East and awarded the Korea Medal and the United Nations Korea Medal. In addition, he was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea on July 31, 1992.