Canada. A British War Medal, Private John Baptiste Seguin, Memorial Cross Recipient In 1949

(763175. PTE. J. SEGUIN. C.F.C.). Naming is officially impressed. Dark patina, edge nicks, contact marks, replacement ribbon, near fine.

Footnote: John Baptiste Seguin was born on October 22, 1880 (the date also stated as 1874 in one of his medical records) in Oxbray, Quebec (also acknowledged in his records as Hawkesbury, Ontario), the son of Andrew Seguin and Ulatis Seguin. He was a resident of Huntsville, Ontario when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (763175) with the 122nd Infantry Battalion, on January 13, 1916 in Huntsville, at the age of 35, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Ovilina Segun (also stated as Orvilina in his records) of Huntsville (later of Galt, Ontario and Uplands, Ontario), stating the he had no previous military service, that he was Married, that his religion was Roman Catholic and that his trade was that of Tanner (also acknowledged in his records as Fireman). The Battalion was raised in the Muskoka District of Ontario with mobilization headquarters at Huntsville under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on June 2, 1917 aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel D.M. Grant with a strength of 26 officers and 686 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on June 9th. Upon arrival in England, the Battalion was absorbed into the Canadian Forestry Corps, with Private Seguin taken on strength at the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale, on June 10th. Five weeks later, on July 13, 1917, he was transferred to No. 54 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps for service in the French theatre, arriving at the Base Depot in Le Havre, France on July 15th. Eleven days after arriving in France, on July 26, 1917, Private Seguin was sentenced to forfeit three days' pay: (i) for neglecting to obey a standing order at 4 p.m. on July 25, 1917 and (ii) being improperly dressed. He was posted to No. 1 District Headquarters on September 21st, then transferred to No. 20 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps on October 15th. He is documented as having "Myalgia" (muscle pain, a symptom of many diseases and disorders) as of April 7, 1918 but no additional medical information is available in his records. Private Segun returned to England and was posted to the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale, on December 16, 1918. He was posted to No. 2 District at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park, Rhyl, North Wales, on January 4, 1919, pending return to Canada. He left for home on January 11, 1919 aboard the S.S. Olympic, arriving in Canada on the 17th, then taken on strength at No. 2 District Depot in Toronto, Ontario and posted to the Casualty Company at Exhibition Camp. Private John Baptiste Seguin, 122nd Infantry Battalion, Canadian Forestry Corps was discharged upon demobilization at No. 2 District Depot in Toronto, on February 11, 1919, credited with having served in Canada, England and France. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died on July 2, 1948, at the age of 67. A Memorial Cross was dispatched to his wife Ovilina Seguin of Uplands, Ontario, on February 12, 1949, as his death was attributed to his military service, although his medical records do not indicate as to exactly why that is, but is likely related to the aforementioned "Myalgia".