Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Canadian Memorial Cross, G.V.R. (F.55035 Pte. H. MacKinnon) very fine £60-£80

Harold MacKinnon was born at Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada, on 21 April 1916, and attested there for the Cape Breton Highlanders on 27 March 1940. He drowned whilst on a leave pass at Barrie, Ontario, on 30 August 1941; accompanied by Private T. W. Burke, they rented a canoe and paddle over to the beach near Clark’s Tannery; a short distance from the shore the canoe listed suddenly, and filled with water. Private Burke hung onto the upset canoe and was subsequently rescued, whilst MacKinnon made for the shore, but suddenly disappeared beneath the water and drowned. His body was recovered and he is buried in his home town.

Note: The first 5,000 or so Canadian Memorial Crosses issued to Canadian personnel who died during the Second World War were from residual Great War stock, bearing George V’s cypher ‘GRI’; subsequent issues bore George VI’s cypher ‘GviR’.