Military Medal. GV first issue (71383 Sjt: W. Galen. 27/Can: Inf:)
The recipient was No. 71383 Sergeant William Galen, 27th Battalion Canadian Infantry, Canadian Expeditionary Force:
Sold together with:
- White named card box of issue. This retaining the 'Royal Mint' paper envelope of issue
- Pocket New Testament: Inside fly-leaf Presented to - of the 27th Batt C.E.F. by Mr. Alexander Macdonald, Winnipeg, Canada
The New Testament cover with gilt embossed crossed British and Canada (Dominion) flags - and nice seen intact / complete with the printed fly-leaf indicating that the bible was for a soldier of the 27th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
Medals Verification: Sergeant William Galen is confirmed entitled to the Military together with three other Great War era campaign / war campaign medals, per below following sources
- Military Medal GV: Published in London Gazette issue of 13 March 1918
- 1914-15 Star: Extant service papers confirm recipient disembarked in France
- British War Medal. Silver issue
- Interallied Victory Medal:
The Aberdeen Press and Journal issue of 9 May 1918, contained the below following article:
Quote,
MILITARY MEDALLIST
Mrs Galen the widowed mother of Sergt. William Galen, has just received her son's Military Medal, awarded for bravery in the field. Sergt. Galen joined the Canadians, and before emigrating was a carpenter in Auchterless. Another son has been discharged on account of wounds received in action.
Unquote.
The MM remained with the widowed mother in Scotland, and remains a pristine example, in named card box and with original long silk riband as-issued
The other son referred to in above quoted article, was Private George Galen of the 5th (Buchan & Formartin) Battalion Gordon Highlanders (Territorial Force), whose Great War medals with rare 'Auchterless Tribute Medal', are being sold separately on the website, see item code 24945
Sergeant William Galen's Canadian Expeditionary Force attestation and service records are held and accessible at the National Archives of Canada
Wounded-in-Action: William was twice wounded-in-action in France & Flanders during the Great War as under:
- 25/10/1915: Gunshot & Shrapnel Wound to left leg, admitted to No. 20 General Hospital, Etaples. France
- 21/05/1917: Gas Poisoning (from , admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne, France
William Galen, son of Adam Galen (recorded as Ploughman in 1901) and Margaret 'Maggie' Galen (nee Hay) was a native of Auchterless, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where he was born on 13 August 1883. At the time of the compilation of the 1901 National Census for Scotland, William is recorded residing with his parents and his three sibling brothers (George Galen b.1889, Adam Galen b.1887, and John Galen b.1891) at the family residence located at Hatton Manor Cottage, Auchterless, Aberdeenshire. William migrated to Canada some years before the Great War and in August 1914 was residing in Winnipeg Manitoba, where he was employed as a 'Carpenter'. William enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Winnipeg on 27 October 1914, on whichg date he was posted to the local 27th (Winnipeg) Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force. He embarked from Canadia for overseas service on, 15 May 1915, on which date he sailed on the famous R.M.S. 'Carpathian' destined for England. He subsequently landed in France on, 17 September 1915
Interestingly one of the two Victoria Crosses awarded during the Great War to the 'Winnipeg Bulldogs' was an award to another son of Aberdeen, Scotland, a former pupil of the Aberdeen Grammer School, Captain Robert Grierson Coombe, who was decorated with the award of a posthumous Victoria Cross for his outstanding acts of gallantry in France on 3 May 1917, Captain Coombe's inspirational citation, is hereunder copied in full:
Quote,
For most conspicuous bravery and example. He steadied his Company under intense fire, and led them through the enemy barrage, reaching the objective with only five men. With great coolness and courage Lt. Combe proceeded to bomb the enemy, and inflicted heavy casualties. He collected small groups of men and succeeded in capturing the Company objective, together with eighty prisoners. He repeatedly charged the enemy, driving them before him, and, whilst personally leading his bombers, was killed by an enemy sniper. His conduct inspired all ranks, and it was entirely due to his magnificent courage that the position was carried, secured and held
Unquote.
Lieutenant Combe's Victoria Crss is held by the Provincial Archives in Regina, Saskatchewan and is displayed on special occasions. It is the only publicly held Victoria Cross in the province
William Galen is recorded to have died in Vancover, British Columbia, Canada, on 2 August 1938. He was buried in the Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, where a veterans 'Maple Lead' adorned flagstone is engraved with his service details and post-nominal letters 'M.M.'
A choice lot. The MM - retaining its original bright long length of silk riband, as issued - is in virtually pristine condition, and a superb example of type
Condition: Medal EF
Code: 24961