A Canadian Military Medal & Memorial Group To The 22Nd Regiment

Military Medal (171212 Pte W. STRACHAN. 24/QUEBEC R.); British War Medal (171212 L. CPL. W. STRACHAN. 22-CAN. INF.); Victory Medal (171212 L. CPL. W. STRACHAN. 22-CAN. INF.); and Memorial Cross, George V (171212 Pte W STRACHAN M.M.). Naming is officially impressed on the medals and officially engraved on the Cross, the Cross in its Case of Issue. Un-mounted, original ribbons on the medals, dark patinas on the silver medals, extremely fine. Accompanied by his Memorial Plaque (WILLIAM STRACHAN), with naming in raised lettering, exhibiting surface oxidation spots, along with copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records, and assorted research papers, including the Census of 1911.

Footnote: William Moody Strachan was born in Belfast, Ireland, on July 8, 1891 and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents, Robert and Clara, immigrated to Canada when he was thirteen years old in 1904, along with his twin brother, Alfred, another brother, Robert and two sisters, Edith and Mary. The family settled in Toronto, Ontario, where William ("Bill") worked as a Tinsmith. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 83rd Infantry Battalion, "Queen's Own Rifles", on August 3, 1915, in Toronto, Ontario, naming his next-of-kin as his father, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Tinsmith (Sheet Metal Worker). While still in Canada, he was transferred to the 39th Infantry Battalion on October 10, 1915, arriving in England on February 3, 1916. Two days later, he was transferred to the 22nd Battalion for service in the French theatre, arriving at the Canadian Base Depot and then leaving for his unit on February 15th, joining them the following day. Two weeks later, he was transferred again, this time to the 24th Infantry Battalion "Victoria Rifles", on March 3, 1916 and entered France on March 5th. He was on duty in the trenches on August 28, 1916, when he suffered an injury. Three days later, he was admitted to No. 10 Stationary Hospital in St. Omer on August 31st and diagnosed with a fractured left clavicle. It was noted in his "Report on Wounds of other Injuries, received otherwise than in Action" medical report, dated September 2, 1916 at No. 10 Stationary Hospital that "This man was hit by a sandbag, caused by an explosion of a shell, while on duty in the trenches on Aug. 19th. He broke his collar bone while washing his face on Aug. 28th. This may possibly have been as a result of the previous blow. He was not to blame." He was subsequently transferred to No. 9 Red Cross Hospital in Calais on September 5th, then invalided to England on September 8th and hospitalized at the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester, England for the next ten weeks. He was transferred for an additional month of rehabilitation at the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park in Epsom on November 20th, then discharged to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre on December 22nd, declared fit and discharged on New Years' Day from the CCAC. He was posted to the 1st Quebec Regimental Depot at Hastings on March 10, 1917, followed by a return to the 23rd Reserve Battalion on March 29th. Strachan was promoted to Lance Corporal without pay, while attending map reading classes with the 23rd Reserve Battalion at Shoreham in August 1917. He reverted to the rank of Private on September 2, 1917. He was posted to No. 2 Canadian Infantry Base Depot on November 25th, then transferred again, returning to the 24th Infantry Battalion, on December 12, 1917. Eight months later, Strachan was in battle on the second day of the Battle of Arras, likely at the Battle of the Scarpe on August 27, 1918, when he suffered a gunshot wound to his back, affecting his spine, that left him "seriously ill". He was immediately admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance, then transferred to No. 47 General Hospital in Le Treport, France. He died of his wounds eleven days later, on September 7, 1918, at the age of 27, at No. 47 General Hospital in Le Treport, France and is buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, Seine-Maritime, France, Grave Reference: VII. F. 11A. His obituary appeared in the Toronto Star on September 16, 1918. Strachan was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, as published in the London Gazette 30940, page 11840, on October 4, 1918. His father received his British War Medal, Victory Medal, Memorial Plaque and Scroll, while his mother received his Memorial Cross.