The Ron Penhall Collection

The Second World War North-West Europe operations Bronze Star, Croix de Geurre and Orange-Nassau group of ten awarded to Major H. D. Wilson, Canadian Army - decorated by the Americans and the French for his gallant part in taking the surrender of a 500-strong German garrison, he was also honoured by the Dutch, possibly in respect of him having liberated Esterwegen concentration camp, a sub-camp of Neuengamme

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal 1939-45, silver; Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, silver; Coronation 1953; Canadian Centennial Medal 1967; French Croix de Guerre 1939, with star riband fitment; U.S.A. Bronze Star, unnamed, with case of issue; The Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau, Knight’s breast badge, with swords, silver and enamel, together with a set of related miniature dress medals (excluding the Centennial Medal 1967), mounted court-style as worn, cleaned, plated and lacquered, otherwise generally very fine or better (19) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection.

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Halford David Wilson was born in Vancouver, B.C. in November 1905 and volunteered for service overseas in June 1942, while serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment). Having then been embarked for England with an appointment in an Infantry Reinforcement Unit, he discovered in early 1944 that he was to be ‘passed over’ by younger officers in respect of going overseas come the Normandy landings. He subsequently sent a formal letter of protest, citing his pre-war experience as a member of Vancouver City Council, and was rewarded by his transfer to the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories, in which capacity he landed in France in July 1944. Thereafter, he was attached to units of the 2nd Canadian Army and to British 30 Corps, more often than not acting in a liaison capacity with our fellow American and French Allies.

The citation for his American Bronze Star states:

‘For meritorious achievement on 10 August 1944. The civilian populace, in the area around Guingamp, France, reported night time enemy forays during which civilians were killed. Accompanied by an officer and an enlisted man, Captain Wilson made a reconnaissance from Guingamp, a distance of 30 miles into enemy held territory which had been bypassed by Task Force ‘A’.The purpose of the mission was to verify information received that two enemy strong points were still in the vicinity of Perros-Guirec. Proceeding by truck to within a short distance of the specified fortress, Captain Wilson and the other two men dismounted and, displaying white flags, continued towards the entrance of the fortress in the face of guns. Inside the fortress, after several hours of persuasion, the German Staff agreed to surrender terms and ordered the supporting positions to lay down their weapons. Approximately 125 Russian volunteers, under the command of a Russian officer, refused to surrender. Without hesitation, Captain Wilson, and the other two men, under truce of the white flag, approached the strong point held by the Russians and through the same procedure induced the Russians to surrender also. The disarming and removal of about 500 prisoners were completed before midnight of the same day. The devotion to duty displayed by Captain Wilson reflects great credit upon the armed forces of the Allied nations.’

The French, too, were sufficiently impressed to award Wilson the Croix de Guerre:

‘At the head of a detachment of nine American officers and soldiers, he fought alongside the French Forces of the Interior from 6 August 1944. He took a glorious part in the combat that ended in the capitulation of the German garrison at Perros-Guirec, taking 482 prisoners and capturing important material which permitted the arming of a Battalion of F.F.I. He has fought with his unit on the Lorient front effecting liaison between the French Forces of the Interior and American units, under extremely perilous conditions.’

Of Wilson’s subsequent part in the liberation of Esterwegen concentration camp in North-West Germany, a sub-camp of Neuengamme camp, accompanying correspondence refers to him ‘crashing through the front gate in a tank’. It also confirms that he took a photograph album from the Commandant’s office, which today resides in the collection of the Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority (“Yad Vashem”) in Jerusalem. Esterwegen certainly had Dutch inmates, and it is possible Wilson’s subsequent award of the Orange-Nassau was in part related to this event.

Wilson was released from the Canadian Army in the rank of Major in May 1946 and went on to serve as a Vancouver Alderman for 30 years. He died there in April 1988, aged 83 years.

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation and related artefacts, including files appertaining to his American, Dutch and French decorations, largely being official correspondence discussing investiture details, but also including wartime citations (as quoted above); certificates for his Coronation 1953 and Canadian Centennial 1967 Medals; his commission warrant for the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment), dated 16 September 1940; a “Welcome From Brittany To Our Allies” menu card, the reverse signed by several French officers, one with reference to the liberation of Perros-Guirec, together with a similarly inscribed photograph which appears to depict a gathering of F.F.I. in the town on 18 August 1944; a selection of wartime photographs taken “on the road” in North-West Europe, but also a splendid image of the Major attempting to keep up on the dance floor with one of the “Kretlow Girls” at the Cave Supper Club, Vancouver, in 1943; several later portraits of him in his robes of office as a Vancouver Alderman; an assortment of post-war certificates pertinent to his time as an Alderman, and three related Badges of Office, gilt and enamels, all named; further certificates pertinent to his time as President of the Mount Pleasant Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, with three related Badges of Office, bronze, gilt and enamel, all named; a carved wooden presentation bowl from the Town Council of Jewer, near Oldenburg, as gifted to Wilson while employed in the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories; and a City of Vancouver presentation wall plaque, gilt metal central Arms and inscribed lower plaque, ‘Alderman H. D. Wilson, 1967’.