Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.C. group of eight awarded to Major-General E. J. C. Schmidlin, Canadian Engineers, who became Quarter-Master General of the Canadian Army in the 1939-45 War

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. J. C. Schmidlin, 2/Can. Div. Eng.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. E. J. C. Schmidlin); Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45, silver; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, contact marks and somewhat polished, otherwise generally very fine (16) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Canadian Expeditonary Force 1914-1918.

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M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1917.

Edward James Carson Schmidlin, who was born in Brantford, Ontario, in August 1884, attended the Royal Military College of Canada, where he won the Sword of Honour and the Governor-General’s Gold Medal.

Commissioned in the Canadian Engineers in June 1905, he was appointed Adjutant of the 2nd Canadian Divisional Engineers in November 1914 and went out to France in the rank of Captain in September 1915, and served in that capacity until July 1917, gaining the M.C.

Appointed C.O. No. 12 Field Company, C.E., in the latter month, he was given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1918 and ended the War as C.O. of the 8th Battalion, C.E., adding a “mention” to his accolades (London Gazette 11 July 1919 refers).

Schmidlin went on to enjoy a long and distinguished career with the Canadian Engineers, gaining advancement to Brigadier in August 1938 and to Major-General in July 1940, when Quarter-Master General of the Canadian Army. He was finally placed on the Retired List in August 1942.

Described as ‘a man of powerful intellect, of great powers of persuasion, and of eminence as an engineer’, he died in October 1951; sold with copied service record, confirmation of his entitlement to the Jubilee 1935 and Coronation 1937 Medals, and extensive published references to his distinguished career.