A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

A Great War Somme operations M.M. awarded to Private E. Flynn, 10th (Canadians) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, who was killed in action at Passchendaele in November 1917

Military Medal, G.V.R. (426237 Pte. E. Flynn, 10/Can. Inf. Bn.), good very fine £500-550

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 17 February 1917.

Edward Flynn was born in Accrington, Lancashire, on 17 August 1896. Emigrating to Canada and employed as a Spinner, he attested for the 46th (South Saskatchewan) Battalion at Weyburn, Sasatchewan, in January 1915.

Embarked for England, he was taken onto the strength of the ‘10th Canadians’ in France in August 1915, and was subsequently present in the costly operations on Thiepval Ridge on the Somme in September-October 1916, in addition to the battles for Ancre Heights and Regina Trench, the same period in which he won his M.M.

During later operations he sprained his left knee and was admitted to No. 39 General Hospital, Le Havre, thereby missing the action around Vimy Ridge, but he was back on active service by May 1917, gaining advancement to Lance-Corporal on the 28th of that month, and to Corporal in October 1917, shortly before the commencement of the battle of Passchendaele - on 10 November 1917 the “Fighting Tenth” advanced from Brigade Reserves, took over the whole of 2nd Brigade’s front, and advanced the line to the final objective, taking Hill 52 despite ‘horrific battle field conditions and considerable confusion’. Sadly it was during this period of carnage that Corporal Flynn fell in action - originally reported ‘Missing’, it was later ascertained that he had been hit by a shell and killed. No body was recovered and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Flynn was one of the 33 dead, 104 wounded and 17 missing from his unit during the bloody fighting at Passchendaele.