Canada. A First War Pair, To Private Wyley Wentworth Ward, 193Rd Infantry Battalion, 2Nd Canadian Divisional Employment Company

British War Medal (902052 PTE. W.W. WARD. CAN. DIV. EMP. COY.); and Victory Medal (902052 PTE. W.W. WARD. CAN. DIV. EMP. COY.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, dark patina on the BWM, edge nicks, contact marks, original ribbons, very fine.

Footnote: Wyley Wentworth Ward was born on October 29, 1896 in Port Elgin, New Brunswick, the son of Douglas C. Ward and Edith Ward. He was a resident of Amherst, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (902052) with the 193rd Infantry Battalion "Nova Scotia Highlanders", on April 12, 1916 in Truro, Nova Scotia, at the age of 19, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Helen Mary Ward of Amherst, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was Married, that his religion was Methodist and that his trade was that of Bookkeeper. The Battalion was raised in Nova Scotia, with mobilization headquarters at Truro under the authority of G.O. 69, July 15, 1916. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic on October 12, 1916, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. Stanfield with a strength of 32 officers and 1.020 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on the 19th. Just before departure, he was appointed Acting Lance Corporal on October 12th, but the appointment then cancelled soon afterwards. Three months after arriving in England, he was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott on January 23, 1917, then posted to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre at Bramshott on February 16, 1917. It was here that a Medical Board Report was filed on February 16th, in regard to his "Flat Feet", the attending physician reporting that "This man states that he had flat feet for three years which causes pain in walking." Private Ward was recommended for corrective boots with arch supports, in order to relieve the pain. He would remain at Bramshott until March 30th, which was followed by a posting to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot on May 5th. Private Ward proceeded overseas with the 193rd Infantry Battalion for service in the French theatre on June 8, 1917, arriving in Boulogne, France on the 9th.

After two months in France, he was transferred to the 2nd Canadian Divisional Employment Company on August 8th. Private Ward was with the 2nd Canadian Divisional Employment Company when he was admitted to No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance on November 9, 1917, with a case of "Influenza" and would recover there for the next week, before being transferred to No. 98 Field Ambulance on the 16th, where he was discharged to duty that day. The following Summer, he was transferred to the 25th Infantry Battalion on July 6, 1918. In his Medical History of an Invalid Report, dated May 8, 1919 at Witley, his "Flat Feet" were reassessed, the physician stating that Ward had "pain and weakness in both feet", that he "does not require treatment" and that he be designated Category "A" (General Service). In addition, while at Witley, he was placed in the Isolation Hospital, where he received "treatment for scabies (not an infection, but an infestation of tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei, which set up shop in the outer layers of human skin. As the mites burrow and lay eggs inside the skin, the infestation leads to relentless itching and an angry rash) and was now free from infection". He was struck off strength on proceeding to Canada on May 18, 1919, sailing aboard the S.S. Aquatania from Southampton, England, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 25th. Private Wyley Wentworth Ward, 193rd Infantry Battalion, 2nd Canadian Divisional Employment Company was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "B", Military District No. 6 in Halifax, on June 2, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England, France and Belgium, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 244768. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Ward settled in Thorold, Ontario after the war.