A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

Four: Corporal J. S. Cavanagh, 28th (North West) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, late Gordon Highlanders, who was killed by an enemy mine at Hooge on 6 June 1916

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (7247 Pte. J. S. Cavanagh, Gordon Highrs. M.I.); 1914-15 Star (74271 Pte. J. S. Cavanagh, 28/Can. Inf.); British War and Victory Medals (74271 Cpl. J. S. Cavanagh, 28-Can. Inf.), together with the recipient’s Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (John Scott Cavanagh), in card envelope, and his Canadian Memorial Cross, G.V.R., the reverse officially inscribed, ‘74271 Cpl. J. S. Cavanagh’, first with edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine, the remainder nearly extremely fine (6) £400-500

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

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John Scott Cavanagh was born in Peebles, Scotland, on 7 June 1883. Having served for 12 years in the Gordon Highlanders, and witnessed active service in the Boer War, he emigrated to Canada, where he was employed as a Miner. Enlisting in the 28th (North West) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, at Winnipeg in March 1915, he went out to France with the Battalion in September 1915.

In June 1916 the Battalion, as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, took up positions north of Sanctuary Wood in the Ypres Sector, and on the 6th some 200 yards of trenches covering the eastern outskirts of the ruins of Hooge were shattered by the explosion of four large mines. Two companies of the 28th Battalion in the vicinity suffered heavily, Cavanagh being among those listed as ‘missing’. His body was never found and at length he was declared to have been killed on that day. His name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Sold with a cloth badge and four cards or slips which accompanied the medals and plaque, one of them with an envelope addressed to ‘Mrs. Jessie S. Cavanagh, White Hart St., Dalkeith, Edinburgh, Scotland’; also with copied service papers.