Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. and Bar group of three awarded to Acting Company Quarter-Master Sergeant F. Eustace, Canadian Machine Gun Corps: decorated for his gallant deeds at Hill 70 and Passchendaele, he also won a “mention” for further acts of bravery at Vimy Ridge

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (423395 Sjt. F. Eustace, 6/Coy. Can. M.G.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (423395 A.C.Q.M. Sjt. F. Eustace, C.M.G. Bde.), nearly extremely fine (3) £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.M. London Gazette 19 November 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 21 August 1917. He fought two guns covering the advance of the infantry with the greatest skill and courage. Although himself suffering from the effects of gas, and continuously shelled, he maintained his position and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, at a time when our own infantry were compelled to withdraw.’

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 13 March 1918.

Frank Eustace, who was born in Berkshire, in April 1890, enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in June 1915.

Drafted to the 6th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, in March 1916, he went out to France for the first time that month, gaining advancement to Sergeant in May 1917 and a “mention” in Haig’s despatches, dated 9 April 1917, for his gallant deeds on Vimy Ridge.

Having then added an M.M. to his accolades for the above cited deeds at Hill 70 in August of the same year, and a Bar for the Passchendaele operations, he was admitted to No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance in November and invalided back to the U.K., most probably as a result of the the above mentioned effects of gas. Eustace was discharged in May 1919.

Sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate and forwarding letter for the Bar to his M.M., addressed to his mother at St. Leonard, Berkshire, together with his Canadian Pay Book for use on Active Service, and copied service record.