A Great War Somme operations M.M. group of three awarded to Acting Bombardier C. E. McCauley, Canadian Field Artillery

Military Medal, G.V.R. (314208 Dvr. C. E. McCauley, H.Q. 11/Bde. Can. F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (314208 A. Bmbr. C. E. McCauley, C.F.A.), nearly extremely fine (3) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces.

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M.M. London Gazette 19 February 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘For coolness and devotion to duty at Courcelette on 13 November 1916, when bringing up rations. The party was heavily shelled with 5.9s, the driver was wounded and one of the horses was killed under him. Driver McCauley took charge and sent the wounded man under escort to the dressing station, and alone under continued heavy shell fire changed the lead for the wheel horses, and completed the trip. Throughout the Brigade was in this area, this man carried on day and night, bringing up supplies over heavily shelled roads with great devotion to duty.’

Charles Edward McCauley was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 7 September 1889. A Printer by occupation, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in Halifax in February 1916.

Embarked for England, he first went out to France as a Driver in the Canadian Field Artillery in July 1916, and was awarded the M.M, for the above cited deeds on the Somme that November, while serving in H.Q., 11th Brigade, C.F.A. Accidentally injured in June 1918 - when he sustained a fractured clavicle - he was evacuated to England, and thence to Canada where he was discharged back at Halifax in March 1919; sold with copied service papers.