British War Medal (in silver, measuring 18 mm in diameter); Victory Medal (in bronze gilt, measuring 18 mm in diameter); 1939-1945 Star (in bronze, measuring 17.5 mm (w) x 20 mm (h)); Italy Star (in bronze, measuring 17.5 mm (w) x 20 mm (h)); Defence Medal (in silver, measuring 18 mm in diameter); Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp (in silver, measuring 18.3 mm in diameter); War Medal 1939-1945 (in silver, measuring 17.8 mm in diameter); King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal 1937 (in silver, measuring 18 mm in diameter); Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953 (in silver, measuring 18 mm in diameter); Efficiency Decoration with Canada Bar, George VI (GRI) (in silver gilt, measuring 16 mm (w) x 23.2 mm (h)); and Efficiency Medal with Canada Scroll, George VI (in silver, measuring 17.3 mm (w) x 31.5 mm (h) inclusive of its scroll and wreath suspension). Court-mounted, paper residue on the reverse from previous board mounting, light contact, most with original ribbons, near extremely fine. Accompanied by colour photocopies of various letters, certificates, memorandums and photographs.
Footnote: William Southward Coolin was born on November 25, 1900 in Montreal, Quebec. He was a Private (0418) with a militia unit, the 58th Battalion (Westmount Rifles), from May 15, 1916 until his discharge on April 8, 1918. Coolin was a resident of Britannia, Quebec when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (3326549) with the 2nd Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment in Ottawa, Ontario, on July 16, 1918, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Gertrude Coolin of Montreal, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was Single, that his religion was Methodist and that his trade was that of Clerk. He also stated that his birthday was November 25, 1899, which would have made his age 18 years and 8 months upon signing with the 2nd Depot Battalion, however, his real birth year was proved later on to be 1900, therefore, he was underage by four months when he enlisted. The following day, he was posted to No. 3 Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment CEF on July 17th, followed eight days later by a transfer to the Canadian Army Pay Corps on July 28th.
By the Fall, Coolin's previous militia service had been revealed and he found himself on Canada's west coast, where he enlisted for service overseas in Siberia, at Military District No. 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 9, 1918. In his Will, dated October 9, 1918, he stated that "my personal estate I bequeath to Mrs. E.G. Coolin (Mother) 859 Clarke Street, Montreal, Que." He sailed overseas aboard the Empress of Japan on October 11, 1918, arriving in Siberia on the 26th with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, as part of the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War. He was appointed Acting Sergeant and clerk at Vladivostok with the Canadian Army Pay Corps. Coolin was admitted to No. 11 Stationary Hospital at Vladivostok on November 14, 1918, suffering from Influenza and after five days, recovered and was discharged from hospitalization on the 19th.
In a memorandum from Lieutenant-Colonel R.W. Stayner, CEF (Siberia), dated March 21, 1919 at Vladivostok, the officer warned of the perils of being a soldier and foreigner in Russia: "Two days ago, two Russian officers were murdered in the vicinity of First River. Their bodies were afterwards submitted to mutilation of the worst description, their ears having been cut off and their hands nailed to their shoulder blades. Signs of torture before death were also evident. All ranks must be warned to guard against murderous attacks of this kind. No officer or man should be allowed to go around singly or unarmed between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. Between these hours, officers should carry revolvers if it is necessary for them to leave the main crowded thoroughfares and they should not proceed singly. The same also applies to the men who must at least carry the bayonet on all occasions and may, if considered necessary, carry rifles."
Sergeant Coolin was struck off strength on transfer to the Rear Party at Monteagle on June 5, 1919, attached to the British Military Mission for Rations at Vladivostok. He would be posted here for a little over two weeks, until June 28th. He received his identification papers with photograph, issued by the British Consulate in Vladivostok, in order to proceed to Japan. He embarked Siberia for Japan aboard the S.S. Penza on June 28, 1919 and was evacuated to Canada on July 19, 1919 aboard the Empress of Russia. Sergeant William Southward Coolin, No. 9 Detachment, Canadian Army Pay Corps, was struck off strength upon demobilization on August 31, 1919, credited with having served in Canada and Siberia. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
During the inter-war years, he served in the rank of Captain with the Three Rivers Regiment from 1920 to 1928, with the 79th Battery, Canadian Canadian Artillery (Field) from 1929 to 1930, with the 2nd Dragoons as its Adjutant from 1933 to 1935, and with the 2nd/10th Dragoons as its Adjutant from 1936 to 1937. Captain Coolin was a recipient of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal in 1937. He was a Staff Captain with the 1st Cavalry Brigade from 1938 to 1939 and graduated from the Militia Staff Course (M.S.C.) on August 25, 1939. Upon the outbreak of hostilities in the Second World War, the now Major Coolin joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was among the first contingent of Canadian Forces to reach the United Kingdom on December 17, 1939, later serving as part of the Central Mediterranean Force, from 1939 to 1945. For his Second World War service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945.
Coolin was awarded the Efficiency Decoration with Canada Bar in November 1942 and was awarded the Efficiency Medal with Canada Scroll in July 1947. He also received the Town of Thorold (Ontario) Certificate of Honour for his war service. After the war, in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, Coolin served with the 57th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery from 1946 to 1955. He was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal in 1953. He qualified as a Brigade Major in 1955 and was Acting Brigade Commander at Anti-Aircraft Camp at Picton, Ontario. Lieutenant-Colonel Coolin was placed on the Supplementary Reserve from 1955 to 1960 and retired from service on November 25, 1960.
In his civilian life, he was employed by The Ontario Paper Company Limited through the inter-war years, taking a leave of absence during the Second World War and resuming his career upon return to Canada, retiring in 1965 as the company's Executive Assistant to the President, after thirty-six years' service. Coolin was a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 17 in Thorold and a parade marshal for many years, a member of Trinity United Church and was affiliated with Mountain Lodge No. 221 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He was a resident of St. Catharines, Ontario and was married to Carrie M. Blackwell (nee Smallman), having four children (Michael, Barbara, Frances, Eve) and three stepchildren (Major R.W. Smallman, Robert, Aileen). William Southward Coolin died on November 18, 1983 at St. Catharines General Hospital in St. Catharines, Ontario, at the age of 83. He is buried alongside his wife, Carrie (1899-1988), in Victoria Lawn Cemetery in St. Catharines.