Canada. An Army Meritorious Service Medal to Corporal/Acting Sergeant William Robert Aylward
Canada, Great Britain; 54th Infantry Battalion; George V (442601 Cpl - A. Sjt. - W.A. AYWARD. 54/BN: 2/C. ONT: R.). Naming is officially impressed. Original ribbon, semi-dark patina, edge nicks, light contact, very fine.
Footnote: William Robert Aylward was born on August 29, 1890 in Five Islands, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. He was a resident of Cranbrook, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (442601) with the 54th Infantry Battalion "Kootenay Battalion", on May 25, 1915 at Vernon Camp, British Columbia, at that age of 24, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Frederick Aylward of Five Islands, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Cook. He was appointed Lance Corporal on September 17, 1915. The Battalion was raised in Southern British Columbia under the authority of G.O. 86, July 1, 1915, with the mobilization headquarters at Nelson, British Columbia. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on November 22, 1915 aboard the S.S. Saxonia, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W.M. Davis with a strength of 36 officers and 1,111 other ranks, arriving in Plymouth, England on December 2nd. Almost six months after arriving in England, Private Aylward was admitted to Connaught Hospital at Aldershot, on May 27, 1916, where he was diagnosed with Gonorrhea/Syphilis. He was subsequently placed on the Syphilis Register at Aldershot on June 13th and after forty days' hospitalization at Aldershot, he was discharged to duty on July 6th. Aylward was appointed Corporal on August 8, 1916, with his unit receiving orders to proceed overseas for service in the French theatre, embarking on August 13th and arriving at the Base Depot in Le Havre, France on August 14th. Three months after arriving in France, Corporal Aylward was admitted to No. 11 Canadian Field Ambulance on November 23, 1916, with "sores on (his) legs" and "Impetigo" (common and highly contagious skin infection) on his back. He was transferred to No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station on November 24th and then evacuated "sick" to the Canadian Base Depot, where he was admitted to No. 27 Convalescent Depot on November 26th. The following day, he was transferred and admitted to No. 20 General Hospital Dannes at Camiers on the 27th, where he would be treated for the next twenty-three days, before being discharged to duty on December 20th and posted to Base Details at Boulogne. He left for his unit in the field on January 15, 1917, rejoining them on the 18th. Corporal Aylward suffered a slight gun shot (shrapnel) wound to his left neck, during intermittent shelling by enemy artillery as "A" and "B" Companies continued to work on an Assembly Trench at Vimy Ridge, on March 28, 1917, the day bright and clear. He was admitted to No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance, then transferred to No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station the same day. After two days at No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station, he was transferred to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station on March 30th, then admitted to No. 7 General Hospital at Etaples on March 31st. After twenty-five days' hospitalization at No. 7 General Hospital, Corporal Aylward was transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on April 25, 1917. He was discharged on April 28th and posted to the Canadian Base Depot at Boulogne on May 1st. He left for his unit in the field on May 21st, rejoining them on June 4th. After the ceasing of hostilities, he was named Acting Sergeant on January 15, 1919 and proceeded to England on May 4th, where he was taken on strength from the 54th Infantry Battalion by "F" Wing at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Bramshott on May 5th. A Wassermann Test for Syphilis was conducted on Aylward at the Canadian General Laboratory at Witley, the results returned on May 9, 1919 and stated as "Negative". In his Medical History of an Invalid, dated May 11, 1919 at Bramshott, the attending physician determined that Aylward had no disability from the VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis), the Impetigo or the gun shot wound to his neck, designating him as "Category A" (Fit for General Service). Aylward was struck off strength of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, embarking England on May 31, 1919 aboard HMT Adriatic, arriving in Halifax on June 7th. 442601 Corporal (Acting Sergeant) William Robert Aylward, 54th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the announcement appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 31370 of Friday, May 30, 1919, on Tuesday, June 3, 1919, page 6912. He was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "B", Military District No. 6 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 15, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 325727. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was also paid a War Service Gratuity of $350.
Canada, Great Britain; 54th Infantry Battalion; George V (442601 Cpl - A. Sjt. - W.A. AYWARD. 54/BN: 2/C. ONT: R.). Naming is officially impressed. Original ribbon, semi-dark patina, edge nicks, light contact, very fine.
Footnote: William Robert Aylward was born on August 29, 1890 in Five Islands, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. He was a resident of Cranbrook, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (442601) with the 54th Infantry Battalion "Kootenay Battalion", on May 25, 1915 at Vernon Camp, British Columbia, at that age of 24, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Frederick Aylward of Five Islands, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Cook. He was appointed Lance Corporal on September 17, 1915. The Battalion was raised in Southern British Columbia under the authority of G.O. 86, July 1, 1915, with the mobilization headquarters at Nelson, British Columbia. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on November 22, 1915 aboard the S.S. Saxonia, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W.M. Davis with a strength of 36 officers and 1,111 other ranks, arriving in Plymouth, England on December 2nd. Almost six months after arriving in England, Private Aylward was admitted to Connaught Hospital at Aldershot, on May 27, 1916, where he was diagnosed with Gonorrhea/Syphilis. He was subsequently placed on the Syphilis Register at Aldershot on June 13th and after forty days' hospitalization at Aldershot, he was discharged to duty on July 6th. Aylward was appointed Corporal on August 8, 1916, with his unit receiving orders to proceed overseas for service in the French theatre, embarking on August 13th and arriving at the Base Depot in Le Havre, France on August 14th. Three months after arriving in France, Corporal Aylward was admitted to No. 11 Canadian Field Ambulance on November 23, 1916, with "sores on (his) legs" and "Impetigo" (common and highly contagious skin infection) on his back. He was transferred to No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station on November 24th and then evacuated "sick" to the Canadian Base Depot, where he was admitted to No. 27 Convalescent Depot on November 26th. The following day, he was transferred and admitted to No. 20 General Hospital Dannes at Camiers on the 27th, where he would be treated for the next twenty-three days, before being discharged to duty on December 20th and posted to Base Details at Boulogne. He left for his unit in the field on January 15, 1917, rejoining them on the 18th. Corporal Aylward suffered a slight gun shot (shrapnel) wound to his left neck, during intermittent shelling by enemy artillery as "A" and "B" Companies continued to work on an Assembly Trench at Vimy Ridge, on March 28, 1917, the day bright and clear. He was admitted to No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance, then transferred to No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station the same day. After two days at No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station, he was transferred to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station on March 30th, then admitted to No. 7 General Hospital at Etaples on March 31st. After twenty-five days' hospitalization at No. 7 General Hospital, Corporal Aylward was transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on April 25, 1917. He was discharged on April 28th and posted to the Canadian Base Depot at Boulogne on May 1st. He left for his unit in the field on May 21st, rejoining them on June 4th. After the ceasing of hostilities, he was named Acting Sergeant on January 15, 1919 and proceeded to England on May 4th, where he was taken on strength from the 54th Infantry Battalion by "F" Wing at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Bramshott on May 5th. A Wassermann Test for Syphilis was conducted on Aylward at the Canadian General Laboratory at Witley, the results returned on May 9, 1919 and stated as "Negative". In his Medical History of an Invalid, dated May 11, 1919 at Bramshott, the attending physician determined that Aylward had no disability from the VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis), the Impetigo or the gun shot wound to his neck, designating him as "Category A" (Fit for General Service). Aylward was struck off strength of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada, embarking England on May 31, 1919 aboard HMT Adriatic, arriving in Halifax on June 7th. 442601 Corporal (Acting Sergeant) William Robert Aylward, 54th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the announcement appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 31370 of Friday, May 30, 1919, on Tuesday, June 3, 1919, page 6912. He was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "B", Military District No. 6 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 15, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 325727. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was also paid a War Service Gratuity of $350.