A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

A Great War ‘Ypres’ M.M. group of four awarded to Second Lieutenant R. H. Morton, No. 66 (Training) Squadron, Royal Air Force, formerly Canadian Engineers, killed whilst flying on 3 July 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (106408 Cpl., 3/D. Sig. Co., Can. Eng.); 1914-15 Star (106408 S. Cpl., 1/Can. Mtd. Rif.); British War Medal (2. Lieut., R.A.F.); Victory Medal (2. Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (Ruben Harold Morton); illuminated memorial scroll, this laid on card and cropped at edges; and Great War services commemoration certificate from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, named ‘Ruby H. Morton’, generally good very fine or better (5) £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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M.M. London Gazette 23 August 1916. A copy of the original recommendation is included with the lot, which states: ‘For conspicuous bravery on 2nd June 1916, and throughout recent operations in the Ypres Salient. He personally mended telephone lines during severe shell fire and gave invaluable assistance in maintaining communications by the gallant example he set the men in his charge. He also went out to assist a comrade who had been mortally wounded on the 3rd June.’

Ruben Harold Morton was born on 1 June 1886 at Crewkerne, Somerset, and enlisted into the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 30 December 1914. In April 1918 he was commissioned into the R.A.F. as an Observer, with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant; and subsequently resumed his Pilot training course. He was killed on 3 July 1918 whilst training in an RE8 at Yatesbury, when the engine stalled, causing the plane to go into a spin and plummet to the ground. He is buried at New Southgate Cemetery, Hertfordshire.