A Second War Canadian Grouping to Lieutenant-Colonel William Gordon Chandler

1939-1945 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp; and War Medal 1939-1945. Court-mounted, with swing bar pinback, as worn by the veteran, plated, scattered plating wear on the silver medals, contact marks, very fine. Accompanied by a Silver Award Plate (silver electroplated copper, marked "Cavendish Plate / E.P. COPPER", hallmarked and marked "V" beside "Ltd" and marked "MADE IN Sheffield ENGLAND" on the bottom, engraved with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals insignia and inscribed "PRESENTED TO / LIEUT-COLONEL W.G. CHANDLER , C.D. / BY HIS OFFICERS / ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT / FROM COMMAND OF / 8 SIGNAL REGIMENT, ROYAL CANADIAN SIGNALS / TORONTO, ONTARIO / 31st OCTOBER 1956" in the centre, surrounded by the engraved signatures of twenty-two members of 8 Signal Regiment, 220 mm x 475 mm x 27.5 mm, exhibiting streaking and contact marks); a 10th Brant Dragoons Side Cap (exterior in dark green and black wool, top edges trimmed in yellow cord embroidery, brass "10 BRANT" title on the left side, two 11.5 mm brass buttons on the front illustrating the Canada General Service insignia, inside with a brown fur-like sweatband, lined in a brownish-gray rayon, maker's label sewn in place on the right side inscribed "MUIR CAP AND REGALIA LIMITED MANUFACTURERS 51 SIMCOE ST. TORONTO 2 CANADA", 113 mm x 300 mm); a British Empire Services League Canadian Legion Side Cap (exterior in navy blue wool, top edges trimmed in yellow cord embroidery, brass "4" on the left side, two 13 mm brass buttons on the front illustrating the Legion insignia, inside with an olive green cotton sweatband, lined in black cotton, "WM. SCULLY LTD. MONTREAL" maker mark and size stamped "7 1/4" in white ink, 118 mm x 300 mm); his father, William John Chandler's First World War Canadian Pay Book for Use on Active Service (24 pages plus cover, inscribed in handwritten blue ink "Capt. W.J. Chandler" on the front cover, stamped "217th OVERSEAS BATTALION", with entries dated April to May of 1917, printed in black ink, dual-staple bound, 95 mm x 142 mm); William Gordon Chandler's Second World War Canadian Army (A.F.) Officer's Record of Service (8 pages plus cover, entries from 1942 to 1946, printed in black ink, 115 mm x 145 mm); Army Book 155 (stamped in black ink "ARMY BOOK 155" on the front, inside with a series of blank Message Forms, the front form inscribed in blue handwritten ink "WW2 MESSAGE FORMS / Courtesy W G CHANDLER LtCol. R C Sigs Sep/88", brown cloth covered card cover, with mylar grid entitled "UNIVERSAL ROMER (Code UR)", black elastic closure, 160 mm x 240 mm); Signal Training, Volume III, Pamphlet No. 15, Wireless Set, No. 1 1938 (100 pages plus cover, with text, line diagrams and photos, printed in black ink, glue bound, 121 mm x 186 mm); Drill for Foot Guards and Infantry of the Line, Military Training Pamphlet No. 18 1939 (40 pages plus cover, with text and line diagrams, printed in black ink, dual-staple bound, 120 mm x 184 mm); Notes for Instructors on the Principles of Instruction 1939 (16 pages plus cover, text only, printed in black ink, dual-staple bound, 107 mm x 134 mm); Handbook of Elementary Drill, The University of Manitoba Contingent, Canadian Officers' Training Corps 1942 (80 pages plus cover, with text and line diagrams, signature of "W.G. Chandler" in pencil on the front cover, printed in black ink, dual-staple bound, 122 mm x 185 mm); a Book entitled "HOLLAND AND THE CANADIANS" (published by Contact Publishing Company of Amsterdam, credited to: Major Norman Phillips, Canadian Army Public Relations Services and J. Nikerk, Secretary, Canadian Netherlands Committee, containing 150 photos and text, illustrating wartime activities during the German occupation and the subsequent Dutch resistance movement and liberation by the Canadian forces, two-piece cover printed in red, blue and black inks, containing 72 pages printed in black ink, wiro-bound, 240 mm x 335 mm); three Corps Instruction Forms; Information Regarding Mounting and Wearing of Decorations, Campaign Stars and Medals booklet (12 pages including cover, printed in black ink, dual-staple bound, 82 mm x 140 mm); a Map of the City of London for Canadian Forces published by the Knights of Columbus, Canadian Army Huts (printed in black ink, 12 panels, fold up to 87 mm x 158 mm); a Front Cover from the "Winnipeg Free Press" (dated Friday, March 27, 1942, with a photo of Chandler and four others, as a graduates of the University of Manitoba Department of Engineering and acknowledging their enlistment for overseas service and that they were currently attending officers' training courses); two one-page flyers entitled "Elizabethan News" (dated March 31 and April 1, 1943, respectively); along with five black and white Photographs. Footnote: William Gordon Chandler was born on June 16, 1920 in Broadview, Saskatchewan, the son of William John Chandler. His father was born on January 27, 1887 and had previously served with a Active Militia, the 95th Saskatchewan Rifle and worked as a Telegraph Operator before enlisting for First World War service in the rank of Captain, later Lieutenant, at the age of 27, with the 217th Infantry Battalion and the Canadian Labour Corps, signing his Attestation Paper on April 13, 1916 in Whitewood, Saskatchewan and his Officers' Declaration Paper on July 18, 1916. His son, William Gordon Chandler was a graduate of the University of Manitoba Department of Engineering and enlisted for overseas service, attending officers' training courses in the process. He listed his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. W.J. chandler of Langenburg, Saskatchewan, stating his religion as Church of England and that he was a Student before entering war service. His Will was filed at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. He joined the army in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on March 9, 1942, at the age of 21, qualified as a 2nd Lieutenant on June 12, 1942 and as a Lieutenant on October 16, 1942, in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. He was posted to the Canadian Signal Reinforcements Unit overseas on April 2, 1943, joining them in the field on June 11th. Chandler was discharged in the rank of Captain at Military District No. 10 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in March 1946. For his Second World War service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945. He continued Militia service in Toronto and served from 1947 through 1963 in 8 Signal Regiment. He was awarded the Canadian Forces' Decoration on June 25, 1956.Chandler retired in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and Commanding Officer of 8 Signal Regiment.