Two First War Instruction Manuals Named to Military Cross Recipient, Lieutenant Vernon Russell Davies, 196th Infantry Battalion, 1st Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps: First manual is entitled "Manual of Field Engineering, 1911", by the General Staff, War Office, London, printed under the authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office by Jas. Truscott and Son, Limited, Cannon Street, E.C., the price stated as "Ninepence", stamped in blue ink "SOLD BY H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE" on the lead page, with handwritten inscriptions in black ink on three pages ("V.R. Davies" on page 2; "910094 V.R. Davies / 196 Batt. Man. Co." on page A2 and on page 105), the manual printed in black ink, the first half of the manual with text, the last sixty-eight pages with various line diagrams (illustrating earthworks, trenches, machine gun placements, various knots, bridges, trestles, etc.), four of the diagrams accented in red ink, the manual containing 212 pages, with a red linen hardcover, measuring 133 mm x 180 mm x 14 mm. Second manual is entitled "Manual of Map Reading & Field Sketching, 1912 (Reprinted, with additions, 1914)", by the General Staff, War Office, London, printed under the authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street E.C., the price stated as "One Shilling", with handwritten inscriptions in black ink on two pages ("V.R. Davies" on the inside front cover (AKA page 1); "V.R. Davies / 196 Batt. Man. Co." on page 2), the 104 pages of text with a few diagrams printed in black ink and incorporating two foldouts and one photographic plate, the back of the manual with twelve foldouts in black or four-colour, with training maps and diagrams, the manual containing 124 pages (not including the aforementioned foldouts), with a red linen hardcover, measuring 128 mm x 173 mm x 12 mm. Both manuals exhibit wear and light soiling on the cover from active use, page 11-12 in the second manual is loose versus the binding, the text, diagrams and maps in both manuals in excellent condition. Very fine.
Footnote: Vernon Russell Davies was born on February 27, 1890 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, the son of John Thomas Davies and Harriet Davies of Franklin, Manitoba. He was a resident of Franklin when he signed his Attestation Paper (910094) with the 196th Infantry Battalion "Western Universities C.E.F. Battalion", on March 10, 1916 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the age of 26, naming his next-of-kin as his father, stating that he was with an active militia, the Canadian Officer Training Corps, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Student. His religion was also documented as Methodist. The Battalion was raised from Western Universities with mobilization headquarters at Winnipeg, Manitoba under the authority of G.O. 69, July 15, 1916. The Battalion sailed November 1, 1916 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, aboard the S.S. Southland, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel D.S. MacKay with a strength of 32 officers and 974 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on November 11th. In England, the 196th Infantry Battalion was absorbed into the 19th Reserve Battalion on January 1, 1917. Seven weeks after arriving in England, Davies was taken on strength at the Machine Gun Depot at Crowborough, on February 20, 1917. He was to be Temporary Lieutenant, pending appointment in the London Gazette, on June 26, 1917 and would later be promoted to Lieutenant. Davies was posted to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps on July 25, 1917 and after three and a half months, proceeded overseas on November 9, 1917, taken on strength as a reinforcement at the Canadian Machine Gun Pool at Camiers on the 10th. Ten days later, he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps on November 20th. Five months after his transfer, the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps was absorbed by the 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, on April 12, 1918. He was posted to the 1st Army Rest Camp on September 22, 1918, a stay that would last five and a half weeks, until October 30, 1918. A week and a half later, he was posted for the next five and a half weeks to General Headquarters School at Camiers, from November 9 to December 12, 1918. Upon the ceasing of hostilities, and having served sixteen months in the French theatre, Davies returned to England, where he was posted to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps Depot at Crowborough, on February 20, 1919. He was granted indefinite leave while attending university in London, effective February 26th. Temporary Lieutenant Vernon Russell Davies, 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps was awarded the Military Cross on the occasion of His Majesty's Birthday, with no citation, the announcement appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 31370 of Friday, May 30, 1919, on Tuesday, June 3, 1919, page 6836 and in the Canada Gazette of Saturday, July 5, 1919, page 5 Supplement. While stationed at Witley Area, a medical examination was performed upon Davies on July 9, 1919. He was diagnosed with a varicocele (a varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of the pampiniform venous plexus in the scrotum. This plexus of veins drains the testicles. The testicular blood vessels originate in the abdomen and course down through the inguinal canal as part of the spermatic cord on their way to the testis. Upward flow of blood in the veins is ensured by small one-way valves that prevent backflow. Defective valves, or compression of the vein by a nearby structure, can cause dilatation of the testicular veins near the testis, leading to the formation of a varicocele. Varicocele is known as one of the main causes for male infertility and can be treated by a surgery or non-surgical treatments). It was determined by the attending physician that Davies was "Fit for Service". He was transferred to "M" Wing at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Witley on July 26, 1919 for return to Canada, then struck off strength and sailed for Canada on August 13, 1919. Upon arrival in Canada, he was posted to No. 3 Military District in Kingston, Ontario. Now age 29, he was admitted to Queen's Military Hospital (Kingston General Hospital) in Kingston on August 28, 1919, where he was reassessed for his varicocele. The attending physician at Kingston noted that Davies "had a slight varicocele previous to enlistment and (that) it gradually became larger & troublesome. On admission, (this) officer had a moderate sized varicocele which at times caused trouble". An operation to correct the issue was ordered, the operation performed on August 30th and after two and a half weeks recuperation, he was discharged from hospital on September 17th. Lieutenant Vernon Russell Davies, 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps was struck off strength upon General Demobilization, at No. 3 Military District in Kingston, Ontario, on September 18, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A". For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He stated that his proposed residence was one again to be Franklin, Manitoba.