Canada, CEF. A First & Second War Medal Group to Sergeant Major T.R Higham, KIA Battle of Caen, July 25, 1944.

British War Medal, rim impressed 274760 PTE. T. R. HIGHAM. NOTTS & DERBY. R., plated, in very fine condition; Victory Medal, rim impressed 274760 PTE. T. R. HIGHAM. NOTTS & DERBY. R., plated, minor contact, in very fine condition; George V Jubilee Medal 1935, plated, in very fine condition;  George VI Coronation Medal 1937, plated, in very fine condition; Efficiency Medal for Canadian Forces, two Bars on ribbon, rim impressed BTY. S.M.(W.O CL.2) V.R. HIGHAM. R.C.A. (N.P), plated, in very fine condition; 1939-45 Star, plated, in very fine condition; France and Germany Star, plated, in very fine condition; Defence Medal, plated, in very fine condition; Canada Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Bar, plated, in very fine condition; War Medal, plated, small knock to edge of obverse at 7 o’clock, in very fine condition. All medals contained in a wooden frame with glass covering, measures 271mm (w) x 271mm (h) x 28mm (d), case shows wear around the edges.

Memorial Cross with George VI cypher, suspended from a silver bow suspension, reverse engraved A. 32080 R.S.M. T.R. HIGHAN, reverse 6 o’clock marked LACKIE STERLING, reverse of bow also marked STERLING, measures 32.40mm (w) x 40.15mm (h – inclusive of bow suspension), weighs 15.6 grams, dark patina, scattered oxidation, in very fine condition. Accompanied by its hardshell black case with a crown on the exterior lid, yellow velvet and silk interior, measures 65mm (w) x 84mm (h) x 18mm (d), in very fine condition.

Official Warrant “The Honourable the Minister of National Defence” appointing Higham to be Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer I Class, dated February 29, 1941, constructed of parchment paper on reinforced cloth backing, measures 455mm (w) x 295mm (h), rolled and contained in original packaging addressed to Mrs. T. R. Higham of London Ontario, edges of packing torn, but warrant in very fine condition.

Certificate of Honour from the Corporation of the City of London to the memory of R.S.M Tom Reginald Higham, dated November 19, 1945, contained in wooden and glass frame, measures 274mm (w) x 375mm (h), in very fine condition.

Lorie Chronograph, a square wristwatch composed silver with crystal face, swiss manufacture with face presenting gilded letters with an internal seconds hands in place of the 6 o’clock dial, measures 25.5mm (w – inclusive of the crown) 32.3mm (h) x 8.25mm (d), weighs 16.6 grams, edges feature decorative engraving, crystal face heavily cracked and broken, missing one strap band, very worn, in fine condition.

Leather dog tag impressed HIGHAM. T. N&D 27476, worn on a thin rope line, small hole on dog tag, in very fine condition.

Insignia of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, a threaded and embroidered coat of arms; a brass badge, reverse hollow, both in very fine condition.

Bar in white medal, obverse engraved W.O.I.T.R. HIGHAM R.C.A DIED IN HIS COUNTRY’S SERVICE 26 JULY 1944, measures 14.5mm (w) x 67mm (h), discoloured, very fine condition.

Accompanied by “History of the 7th Canadian Medium Regiment R.C.A” by Captain A.M Lockwood, hardcover edition, in extremely fine condition; “Royal Scots Greys: Extracts from Regimental History 1876-1914)” London: Sifton, Praed & Co, Ltd. 1919, with the first three pages signed by soldiers, dating 1937, in extremely fine condition; letters and correspondence to Mrs. Higham following the death of T.R Higham, including a letter from the office of the mayor of London Ontario, dated August 8, 1944; Cecila Raven (host of T.R Higham in England), dated August 18 1944; Postcards from Petawawa Ontario; A binder of First War documents pertaining to Higham including his discharge certificate dated 1921, Jubilee and Coronation Medal certificates, correspondence to Mrs. Higham newspaper clippings, black and white photographs; Notices and information pertaining to A/P.O Evans, Mrs. Higham’s brother.

Footnote: Tom Reginald Higham was born to Tom and Katherine Higham on June 13, 1899, in Derby, Nottingham, England, one of three children. Prior to his active service for his country, he was employed as a bookkeeper. Higham joined the R.F.A in June 1913, in Nottingham.  He enlisted for the war at Nottingham on June 18, 1915. He was posted with the Sherwood Foresters until March 1917.

He served on the Western front with the 11th division in France from June 1915 until September 1916. From February 1917 until September 1919, he was a Signal Instructor at Poona & Fyzabad. In March 1917 he was transferred to the Tank & Machine Gun Corps and served on a special mission to Poland from March until June 1917.  From September 8 to October 10, 1917, Higham attended the 195th infantry brigade school of instruction for NCOs, receiving the remarks “very keen. Rec for a promotion”. He then served in India from May 1919 to September 1919. He was discharged from the 9th Battalion Machine Gun Corps on July 5, 1921. He attested in 12 Bty RCA on Jan 1922, transferred to the 55th RCA in June 1926 and was later appointed to the 7th Fd Bde RCA in April 1936.

Higham was married to Christobel Mabel Hilda Evans on September 29, 1921 in Southampton, England. They relocated to London, Ontario and had two children, Tom Reginald, born April 20, 1923, and Margarite McCarthy, born May 31, 1925. In May 1935, he was awarded Efficiency Decoration and the Jubilee Medal.  In 1942, he was awarded the bar to Efficiency Decoration. In 1937, he went to England on the Canadian Coronation Contingent, and in June that year, he was presented with the Queen Elizabeth with Coronation Medal. Higham continued to serve with the 12th and 55th Field Batteries between 1923 to 1936, and was promoted to a Sergeant Major Warrant Officer I class in 1938.

Higham enlisted for the Second World War on September 7, 1939, naming his next of kin as his wife, Christobel Mabel Hilda Higham, living at 532 Hill St. London, Ontario. His medical examination denotes a snake tattoo on his right arm, and a face tattoo on his left arm. He was taken on strength in London Ontario as a Sergeant Major Warrant I Class with the 12th field brigade on the same day. He was posted the Head Quarters of the 5th Army Field Regiment on June 3, 1940, in Petawawa. In September 1941, Higham spent a total of 7 days in the Military Hospital for thrombosed hemorrhoids, and later, sinusitis in October. 

The 7th went overseas in November 1941, where it participated in two years of constant training. On November 12, 1941, Higham’s training in the United Kingdom began. He received the second bar to the Efficiency Medal in May, 1944. The 7th Medium crossed the Channel in the second week of July 1944, and fought with every major battle that the First Canadian Army was engaged. The battle at Caen began on July 13, 1944 with the first rounds being fired at Rots shortly after 6 pm. This battle took place during the larger Battle of Normandy, Operation Overlord. In the course of the action over 10 months, the 7th occupied roughly 60 gun positions and fired nearly 70,000 rounds of 100-pound shells in support of three Canadian divisions, the 1st Polish Armoured Division, and all of the British 21st Army Group. On July 25, 1944, R.S.M Higham was killed in action at Caen.

In June 1944, Higham was recognized in the form of a certificate by Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, commander of the 21st Army Group, which reads “It has been brought to my notice that you have performed outstanding good service and shown great devotion to duty during the campaign in France. I award you this certificate as a token of appreciation and I have given instructions that this shall be noted in your record of service.”  

Higham is memorialized at Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in Reviers. His cross is inscribed “At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember him.”

The 7th Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Division was disbanded on June 8, 1945.