Canada, Cef. A 1914-15 Star, No. 2 Section Skilled Railway Employees, Cfa

(83260 GNR: L. FRY. CAN:FD:ART:). Naming is officially impressed. Contact marks, spotting, replacement ribbon, near very fine.

Footnote: Leonard Fry was born on January 6, 1880 on the Isle of Wight in England. He signed his first Attestation Paper as a Gunner (83260) with the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, on May 12, 1915 in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 35, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Minnie Eliza Fry of Cobourg, Ontario, stating the he had five years' previous service with the Royal Field Artillery in England, that he was Married, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Shoeing Smith. During his medical examination, the doctor noted that Fry had a tattoo of a butterfly on his left forearm. Gunner Fry embarked Canada on May 17, 1915 aboard the S.S. Cornithian, arriving in England on the 27th. After four months additional training and orientation in England, he embarked Southampton for service in the French and Belgian theatres on September 14, 1915, arriving in France on the 15th. Fry was with the 4th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery when he was struck off strength and posted to the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column on re-organization of the establishment, on May 21, 1916. He was posted to the Artillery School at Tilques, France, just south of Calais, on August 10, 1916, serving as a Batman to Lieutenant Lees for thirteen days, before returning to duty on the 23rd. He returned to England and was taken on strength of the Reserve Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery at Shorncliffe for discharge, on October 19, 1916, although the reasons for the discharge are unclear in his records. He was struck off strength to Canada on November 5th and was discharged at Military District No. 5 in Quebec City, Quebec, on November 21, 1916, credited with having served in Canada, England, France and Belgium. For his early First World War service he was awarded the 1914-15 Star. Twelve weeks after achieving his discharge and having returned to his residence in Cobourg, Ontario, he signed his second Attestation Paper as a Gunner (2125109) with the No. 13 Light Railway Operating Company, No. 2 Section Skilled Railway Employees, on February 12, 1917 in Cobourg, at the age of 37, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Minnie Eliza Fry of Cobourg, stating that he had thirteen months' previous service in France with No. 2 Section, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, that he was Married, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Locomotive Fireman. Note, that upon this second enlistment, he was assigned a new service number. As of February 28, 1917, it was noted that both his parents were deceased and that he and his wife, Minnie Eliza Fry, had five children: three sons (William Leonard Fry (age 13), Henry James Fry (age 11) and Percy Fry (age 2)) and two daughters (Hilda Annie Fry (age 7) and Bessie Fry (age 4)). Gunner Fry embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 16, 1917 aboard the S.S. Grampian, arriving in England on the 29th. He was briefly hospitalized at Purfleet on May 2nd. His unit, now known as the 13th Light Railway Operating Company as of May 12th, proceeded overseas for service in the French theatre on June 9, 1917, arriving in Le Havre, France on the 10th. Fry was appointed Acting 2nd Corporal with pay on May 1, 1918 and confirmed in the rank of 2nd Corporal on July 29th. Upon the ceasing of hostilities and after having served a little over twenty months in France on his second tour of duty, he was struck off strength on being transferred to England, where he was posted to Knotty Ash Camp in Liverpool for demobilization, on February 28, 1919. He was posted to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot on March 5th, then placed on command with Military District No. 4 Wing, at Kinmel Park, Rhyl, North Wales for return to Canada, on March 24th. He was struck off strength to Canada on March 30, 1919, embarking from Glasgow, Scotland aboard the S.S. Saturnia. Gunner Leonard Fry, No. 2 Section Skilled Railway Employees, Canadian Field Artillery, was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "E", Military District No. 4 in Montreal, Quebec, on April 11, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 269536. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ontario on November 20, 1963, at the age of 83.