A First War Commission Document to the Canadian Army Medical Corps

A First War Commission Document to the Canadian Army Medical Corps; Document embossed with the Devonshire coat-of-arms of the Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Governor General of Canada in the upper left, Royal coat-of-arms at the top centre, stamped in blue ink "21062" in the upper right, inscribed: "George V by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India. To Our Trusty and well beloved John Fleming McCracken Gentleman Greeting. We reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty. Ability and good Conduct, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in Our Army Medical Corps of our Active Militia of our Dominion of Canada from the Thirtieth day of October 1915, You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge your Duty as such in the Rank of Lieutenant of in such higher. Rank in the said Corps as we may from time to time hereafter be pleased to promote or appoint you to, of which a notification will be made in the Canada Gazette, by doing and performing all and all manner of things thereunto belonging and you are to observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from Us, or any your superior Officer according to Law, In pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you. In Witness Whereof Our Governor General of Our Dominion of Canada hath hereunto set his hand and Seal at Our Government House in the City of Ottawa this First day of September in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixteen and in the Seventh Year of Our Reign. By Command of His Excellency The Governor General.", signed by the Surgeon-General, Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence, addressed in the bottom left "To John Fleming McCracken / Gentleman / Army Medical Corps". Printed in black ink on a linen parchment, the individualized handwritten inserts in black ink, 288 mm x 365 mm, previously trimmed along the top and right edges in order to fit a frame, fold marks, light soiling, very fine.   Footnote: John Fleming McCracken was born on April 15, 1889, in Morris Township, Huron County, Ontario. Hr graduated from the University of Toronto with an MB (Bachelor of Medicine) in 1911 and received his commission as a Lieutenant with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, on October 30, 1915. He was a resident of Brussels, Ontario when he signed his Officers' Declaration Paper as a Captain, with "C" Section, No. 2  Field Ambulance Depot, on January 13, 1916, at Military District in London, Ontario, at the age of 26, naming his next-of-kin as his father, William McCracken of Brussels, stating that he had one years' previous military service, that his religion was Anglican (Church of England) and that his profession was Physician. McCracken went overseas in July 1916 and entered the French theatre in January 1917, where he was posted to No. 2 Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport. He later saw service as a Medical Officer with the 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, serving in the Somme, before returning to the United Kingdom in November 1917. He is documented as being a Lieutenant-Colonel, officer commanding the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire Officers' Hospital in London in March 1918. McCracken survived the war.