Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private G. M. Westover, 1st Canadian Infantry, who was killed in action near Sanctuary Wood on 9 July 1916

British War and Victory Medals (177331 Pte., 1-Can. Inf.), with related Memorial Plaque (George Moses Westover) and Canadian Memorial Cross, G.V.R., officially inscribed ‘177331 Pte. G. M. Westover’, nearly extremely fine (4) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties formed by Tim Parsons.

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George Moses Westover, who was born in October 1889, originally enlisted in the 87th (Overseas) Battalion, Canadian Grenadier Guards in October 1915.

Subsequently transferred to the 1st Battalion, Canadian Infantry, he joined his new unit out in France in the following month and was killed in action on 9 July 1916. The Battalion’s war diary for this date states:

‘Fine and warm. Enemy’s guns ranged on our positions, our field guns and heavies retaliated. Intense bombardment of our whole area commenced and continued till 10.05 p.m., heavy trench mortars freely used by the enemy. Between 9.00 p.m. and 10 p.m. enemy fire was lifted on to our support lines, many shells landing around Battalion H.Q. Our trenches were severely damaged. Trench mortars and one machine-gun buried, several dug-outs buried and about 100 men killed or wounded ...’

Originally interred in an identified ‘shell hole in Sanctuary Wood’, Westover’s remains were afterwards re-interred in the Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke; photographs of his headstone are included.