A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

A Great War Somme operations M.M. group of three awarded to Gunner F. B. Houston, Canadian Field Artillery, who was wounded in October 1916

Military Medal, G.V.R. (89102 Gnr., F. B. Houston, 25/By. Can. F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (89102 Gnr. F. B. Houston, C.F.A.), minor contact marks, good very fine (3) £300-350

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 21 December 1916. The original recommendation states:

‘For gallantry and devotion to duty during the operations 8 October 1916. This gunner acted as linesman from his battery to the Forward Observing Post and maintained his line under exceptionally trying conditions, working throughout the day under extremely heavy shell fire and machine-gun fire, maintaining perfect communication until the operations were completed being seriously wounded in the afternoon.’

Frank Bowell Houston was born in Toronto on 12 May 1894 and was a student at the University of Toronto prior to his enlistment in the 25th Overseas Field Battery in March 1915. He proceeded to England with the Battery in August 1915 and entered France with the same unit in January 1916, seeing action at Courcellette that October 1916, when he wounded by shrapnel in his left forearm, winning the M.M. in the process. Houston was invalided to Canada in November 1917 and was discharged as being unfit for further service in February 1918; sold with copied service papers and other research.