A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

Family group:

A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Private E. S. Crease, Lord Strathcona’s Horse, late 116th (Ontario County) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, who was wounded in the famous charge at Fresnoy on 8 August 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (3030271 Pte. E. S. Crease, Ld. Strathcona’s H.); British War and Victory Medals (3030271 Pte. E. S. Crease, 116-Can. Inf.), the second with officially re-impressed naming, some edge bruising and contact marks, very fine (3)

The Great War and Second World War group of six awarded to Warrant Officer 2nd Class F. H. Crease, Royal Army Service Corps, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

British War Medal 1914-20 (B.Z. 2216 Ord. F. H. Crease, R.N.V.R.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., Territorial (T.83623 W.O. Cl. 2 F. H. Crease, R.A.S.C.), very fine and better (9) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces.

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M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919.

Edward Sawyer Crease was born on 15 December 1896 in Santana Honda, in the Republic of Columbia, where his father was employed as a Mining Engineer. On going to Canada he enlisted in the 1st Depot Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment at Toronto on 29 August 1917 and was embarked from Halifax, N.S. aboard the S.S. Scotian, that November. Taken on to the strength of the 116th (Ontario County) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, in March 1918, he proceeded to France, where, a few days later he transferred to Lord Strathcona’s Horse.

Crease subsequently participated in the final full gallop charge of Lord Strathcona’s Horse at Fresnoy on 8 August 1918, an attack that was met with heavy machine-gun fire which resulted in one officer and 10 other ranks being killed, and three officers and 45 other ranks wounded, Crease being among the latter with a shrapnel wound to his left thigh. Moreover, 122 horses were killed or went missing in the charge.

After recovering from his wound Crease rejoined his unit in September 1918, and was present - as part of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade - in heavy fighting during 9-10 October, when they acted as Mounted Infantry, clearing the villages of Montigny, Bertry, Le Fayt and Troisvilles. On this occasion, the men of Lord Strathcona’s Horse gained eight miles and captured over 400 prisoners and nearly 100 machine-guns, an advance later described as ‘one of the finest in the history of British cavalry’. And in recognition of his bravery during this action, Crease was awarded the M.M.

Discharged in July 1919, Crease enlisted in the Royal North West Mounted Police, stationed at Calgary, attained the rank of Sergeant but was invalided in January 1925. He then returned to the Republic of Columbia, where he died in Mariquita Tolima in December 1976; sold copied service papers and other research.

Frank Herbert Crease was the younger brother of Edward.