The Miniature Awards of Major James Alexander MacPhail

Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (gold and enamels, 20 mm x 28.2 mm); Distinguished Service Order with Bar, George V (silver gilt and enamels, 19.5 mm); 1914-15 Star (bronze, 19 mm x 23.3 mm); British War Medal (silver, 18 mm); Victory Medal (bronze, 18 mm); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (silver gilt, 15.8 mm x 28.2 mm); and Belgium: War Cross 1914-1918 (bronze, 17 mm x 28.5 mm). Court-mounted with swing bar pinback, as worn by the veteran, fine quality, original ribbons, light contact, better than very fine. Accompanied by his original Dominion of Canada Officer's Commission Scroll for the Militia (promoting him to the rank of Major effective April 27, 1914, named to Alexander MacPhail. 5th Field Company, Canadian Engineers, dated July 13, 1917, numbered 23426, on linen parchment with embossed seal, lightly soiled), a copy of his CEF Attestation Paper and biography.Footnote: James Alexander MacPhail was born on January 25, 1870 in Orwell, Prince Edward Island, the son of William MacPhail and Catherine E. Smith. His brother was Sir Andrew MacPhail, the noted physician and surgeon, agriculturalist, teacher and writer. He married Agnes Mary Moray on May 10, 1910 and together, they had one child. He received his early education in local schools and at Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown. He later attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, going on to become a Professor in the School of Mining at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. He was appointed to the Department of Civil Engineering in 1904. MacPhail, a Conservative, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in a by-election, on November 15, 1911 for 4th Queens, the election made necessary by the appointment of F.L. Hazzard to the Provincial Supreme Court. MacPhail was re-elected in the General Election of 1912. He signed his CEF Attestation Paper as a Captain, on September 23, 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, at the age of 48, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mary MacPhail of Kingston, stating that he had previous militia service as a Major with the 5th Company, Canadian Engineers since 1910, that he was married and that his trade was that of Professor of Engineering. He served as a Commanding Officer of the Canadian Officers Training Corps at Queen's. MacPhail was a Major with No. 5 Company, Canadian Engineers, who formed the Queen's Company of Military Engineers and in 1914, was asked to assemble and proceed with this company to Valcartier Camp. The company formed a nucleus from which contingent parts went overseas, to serve mainly as engineers. His absence from the Legislative Assembly was excused on April 24, 1915, due to his war service and he was therefore, not a candidate in the General Election of 1915. During the war, he rose in rank from Major to Lieutenant-Colonel. He returned to Queen's University after the war in 1919 and was appointed Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, a post he was to hold for the next twenty years. When he retired in 1939, at the age 69, he was awarded an Honourary Degree. He was also awarded an Honorary Degree from McGill University. He was the first recipient of the Medal for Meritorious Service to Queen's awarded by the Montreal branch of Queen's Alumni. The Queen's University Alexander MacPhail Scholarship is maintained by the Class of Science 1914, for standing on year's work. MacPhail received his Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration by G.O. 51 in 1927, where it lists him as Lt. Col. & Bt. Col. A. MacPhail, CMG DSO ADC of Queen's COTC. MacPhail died on January 13, 1949.