A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces

A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal G. Grandbois, 43rd (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, a Metis from Red Lake Falls and a most gallant scout

Military Medal, G.V.R. (860051 Cpl. G. Grandbois 43/Can. Inf.); British War and Victory Medals (860051 Cpl. G. Grandbois, 43-Can. Inf.), these last two with officially re-impressed surnames, good very fine (3) £350-450

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 13 March 1919.

George Grandbois was a Metis born in Red Lake Falls, Minnisota, U.S.A., on 1 February 1885. Employed as a Farmer, living at Ruddell, Saskatchewan, and serving with the Cameron Highlanders of Canada Militia, he enlisted in the 179th (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) Battalion at Winnipeg in May 1916.

Proceeding overseas he transferred to the 43rd (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) Battalion, trained as a Scout, and carried out most hazardous work during a number of serious actions in which his unit became engaged, the worst of them being the Battle of Passchendaele in October-November 1917. The 43rd Battalion and the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles were the assaulting battalions from Ravebeek and, having cleared out the Bellevue pillboxes, came under intense artillery fire and were compelled to fall back - the same occasion on which Lieutenant Robert Shankland of the 43rd won his Victoria Cross.

For his own part, Grandbois won his M.M. during the battles through the Hindenburg Line to Cambrai, when the 43rd and 52nd Battalions overran their objectives and captured 350 prisoners - heavy machine-gun fire forced the Battalions to dig-in and a German counter-attack drove the advanced posts back but the main line held.

Discharged from the C.E.F. at Winnipeg, his intended place of residence was stated to be Maymont, Saskatchewan. He died at Vancouver in June 1963; sold with copied service papers and genealogical details.