Canada. A Memorial Cross to the 50th Calgary Regiment 

 GRV (434615 Cpl. W. BARNES). Naming is officially engraved. Dark patina, bow-tied ribbon, light contact, near extremely fine. Accompanied by copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Papers, Service Records, Medical Records, Pay Records and Discharge Certificates. Footnote: William Barnes was born on January 28, 1882 in Birmingham, England. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 50th Infantry Battalion "Calgary Regiment", on January 29, 1915 in Calgary, Alberta, at the age of 33, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Harriet Barnes of Calgary, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was married and that his trade was that of Labourer. The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Calgary, Alberta under the authority of G.O. 86, July 1, 1915. Upon arrival in England, he was taken on strength of the 23rd Reserve Battalion at West Sandling on September 20, 1915. Two months later, he was exposed to damp weather, which is when he first took notice of his shortness of breath. A troublesome cough set in, keeping him awake at night. He was admitted to the Voluntary Aid Detachment Nethercourt Hospital at Ramsgate with a temperature on November 29, 1915 and diagnosed with Influenza and Dyspepsia. After nine weeks, he was discharged from Ramsgate on February 4, 1916. His condition flared up again, with Barnes being admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital, then to Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington on February 7, 1916 with Bronchitis but he was soon cleared for duty. He was transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion on March 21, 1916, after being treated for "flat feet" due to heavy marching. That Fall he was transferred again, this time to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre on October 4, 1916. Barnes was on guard at night on December 1, 1916, when he developed a cough and pain in his back and left knee. His condition worsened and he soon was admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital at Shorncliffe on December 6, 1916 with a case of Bronchitis, then transferred to the 64th Infantry Battalion the next day. His hospitalization continued, as he was transferred to the Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington, Kent on the 30th, where he was to remain for the next seven weeks, before being discharged on February 23, 1917. During his stay at Orpington, he was entitled to wear one Good Conduct Stripe on January 29, 1917. His shortness of breath persisted as he was struck off strength to the 7th Reserve Battalion, at the Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot at Seaford, Sussex on March 21, 1917, where he signed a paper declaring that he wished to take his discharge in Canada, then placed on command to the 1st Canadian Discharge Depot at Buxton on May 30, 1917 for return to Canada on June 9th. He embarked Liverpool, England on June 9, 1917 aboard the S.S. Scandinavian and was placed in a Convalescent Home at Military District No. 13 in Calgary before being declared "Fit for Duty" on June 23rd. He was transferred to the 13th Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment on April 30, 1918, then transferred to the Canadian Army Pay Corps on January 19, 1919, taken on strength of the 13th Detachment and promoted to Corporal. After six months, he was transferred to the 13th Detachment General List on July 1, 1920. In his Medical History of an Invalid, dated June 7, 1920 at the Calgary Military Hospital, it was noted that Corporal Barnes, CAPC had "Peribronchial thickening at the roots of both lungs." which was "Suggestive of a mild type of Chronic Bronchitis." It also noted that the "patient is troubled with cough and shortness of breath, In wet and cold weather cough is troublesome at night." His shortness of breath had not been as much of a concern since returning to Canada in 1917 but it was still prevalent. Barnes was discharged upon demobilization at Military District No. 13, on July 31, 1920 in Calgary, credited with having served in Canada and England. He died on October 8, 1936 in Calgary from lung disease, attributed to his war service, with his widow, Harriet, receiving his only Memorial Cross, as his mother had predeceased him.