An MM Group to the New Brunswick Regiment

An MM Group to the New Brunswick Regiment - Military Medal (709025 Sjt J. McH. STRACHAN. 26/N. BRUNS:R.); British War Medal (709025 A. SJT. J.M. STRACHAN. 26-CAN.INF.); Victory Medal (709025 A. SJT. J.M. STRACHAN. 26-CAN.INF.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (C.S.M. (W.O. CL. II.) J.M. STRACHAN M.M. ST. JOHN. FUS.); and French Croix de Guerre (bronze, unnamed, bronze star on the ribbon). Naming is officially impressed. Very crisp detail, cleaned, court-mounted with posts and nuts on the reverse for display mounting, light contact overall, better than very fine. Accompanied by a CD containing twenty-three pages with copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records and Discharge Certificates. Footnote: James McHardy Strachan was born on August 11, 1894 in Scotland. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 104th Infantry Battalion on October 13, 1915 in Sussex, New Brunswick, naming his mother, Mrs. George Warden as his next-of-kin, stating that he he had previous milita service, possibly with the Saint John Fusiliers, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Chauffeur. Strachan was appointed Assistant Instructor at Provincial School Instruction, St. John, New Brunswick on April 24, 1916, attached to them on May 6th and continued with them through the month of June. The Battalion was raised in New Brunswick with mobilization headquarters at Sussex under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed June 28, 1919 from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel G.W. Fowler with a strength of 42 officers and 1,084 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on July 6th. Upon arrival, Strachan was appointed Acting Sergeant at Caesar's Camp, Shorncliffe. On March 1, 1918, he reverted to the rank of Private on transfer from the 109th Infantry Battalion to the 13th Reserve Battalion at Seaford, joining them on the 3rd. He saw additional advancements in rank, as he was appointed Acting Lance Sergeant on March 6th, then Acting Sergeant on March 8th. Strachan was struck off strength of the 13th Reserve Battalion to the 26th Infantry Battalion, via the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on the 11th. One month later, he reverted to the rank of Private on proceeding overseas to France, at his own request on April 10, 1918, later joining the 26th Battlaion in the field on July 1st. He continued to advance in rank, when he was appointed Acting Lance Corporal on August 9, 1918, due to the wounding of 451879 Lance Corporal Robert D. Lyon. Two months later, he was confirmed in the rank of Sergeant on October 10, 1918. Illiness did not elude Strachan, as he was admitted to No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station with "chest pain" on November 27, 1918, with the diagnosis of P.U.O. (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin = fever). On December 11th, he was transferred to No. 24 General Hospital Etaples with a "headache, cold in (the) head", reassessed and it was determined he was suffering from a bout of Influenza. He was returned to England and admitted to the Central Military Hospital at Chatham on December 22nd and posted "sick" to the New Brunswick Regimental Depot. He was again transferred, this time to No.15 Canadian General at Taplan with "debility" (a temperature of 104 degrees) on January 4, 1919, continuing the recovery process until he was fully recovered and discharged to duty on January 28th. Strachan was then taken on strength by the 13th Reserve Battalion on posting from the New Brunswick Regimental Depot the next day. He continued with the 13th Reserve Battalion, until he was struck off strength on posting to M.D.C. Wing No. 7, on proceeding to the Canadian Concentration Camp on March 19th. He was then attached to the Canadian Corps Camp Kinmel Park awaiting return to Canada, soon embarking Liverpool on March 29, 1919, aboard the S.S. Caronia, arriving in Halifax on April 5th. Strachan was discharged upon demobilization on April 7, 1919 at Dispersal Station "C", Military District No. 7, in Saint John, New Brunswick. He was awarded the Military Medal in the field, as cited on July 3, 1919 in the London Gazette 31430, along with the Croix de Guerre with bronze star from the French Government in the field, as cited on June 7, 1919 in the London Gazette 31393 (Canadian Records Office letter RL.70-11 over RIF 26219, February 26, 1919). In addition to his MM, BWM, VM and the French Croix de Guerre, he was later awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal. He is credited with having served in Canada, England, France and Belgium and was entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 264181. It is also noted in his records that a Mrs. Mary Strachan of St John, New Brunswick was receiving his pay, so it appears that he married sometime after he enlisted.