The Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties formed by Tim Parsons

Three: Private F. Atkinson, 10th Canadian Infantry, who was killed in action at Ploegsteert on 15 August 1915

1914-15 Star (81029 Pte., 10/Can. Inf.); British War and Victory Medals (81029 Pte., 10-Can. Inf.), with related Memorial Plaque (Fred Atkinson) and Canadian Memorial Cross, G.V.R., the reverse officially inscribed, ‘81029 Pte. F. Atkinson’, all but the last in original card boxes of issue, with registered envelopes and relevant enclosures, etc., good extremely fine (5) £350-400

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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Fred Atkinson, who was born at Appleby, Westmoreland in July 1893, had previously served in the 4th Battalion, Border Regiment (T.F.) prior to enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in December 1914. Initially posted to the 32nd Infantry Battalion, he transferred to the 10th Battalion, another overseas unit of the Canadian Infantry, before arriving at the Front in April 1915.

According to official records, he was ‘instantly killed by a bullet from the rifle of an enemy sniper’ at Ploegsteert on 15 August 1915.

Amidst a national outcry, his and others’ remains were moved to a new burial site at Berks Cemetery Extension near Hainaut in 1930, because the landowner of the original site near Ploegsteert did not want a cemetery on his estate:

‘On a sombre autumnal morning in 1930 each soldier was exhumed and, under military honour guard with flag-draped transport, took his short but final journey down the chateaux drive to the bottom of Hill 63 where, accompanied by the plaintiff noted of the Last Post, he was laid to rest in the Berks Cemetery Extension at the Hyde Park Corner crossroads on the edge of Ploegsteert Wood.’

See Cameos of the Western Front, Salient Points One, Ypres Sector 1914-18, by Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith, for further details.