Canada, Commonwealth. A Father-Son Lot of Colonel A.T.H. Williams

A photocopy of a North-West Rebellion Military Land Warrant, named to Lieutenant Colonel Arthur T. H. Williams, entitling him to 320 acres in Manitoba or the North West Territories, dated September 28 1885, in a wooden frame, glass covering, reinforced reverse with horizontal wire, measures 360 mm (w) x 230 mm (h) x 25 mm (d), in very fine condition.

A Medal of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association, 1868, in silver, two soldiers shaking hands, one holding a rifle with Bayonet with words "Vis Unita Fortior"(meaning Strength United is Stronger) below and the crowned shield of Canada in the background, reverse is scripted, "PRESENTED BY THE DOMINION OF CANADA / RIFLE ASSOCIATION / 1868”, measures 44.5 mm in diameter, dark patina, light wear, very fine. 

A Manitoba Rifle Association Medal, in silver, two soldiers beside a crest, encircled in a ring pattern, the reverse inscribed MANITOBA RIFLE ASSOCn INST 1871, measures 38.4 mm in diameter, edge knocks, light wear, in very fine condition. 

A North West Canada Medal, in silver, rim unofficially engraved COL. A.T.H WILLIAMS, a replacement medal for the family, missing ribbon, full size, light wear, very fine. 

An original portrait of Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams, acrylic on board, depicting a middle aged man gazing slightly to the left, contained in a fraint with a thin decorative border, plain reverse with small nails holding the base within the frame, measures 145 mm (w) x 170 mm (h) x 15 mm (d), residue, light wear in near very fine condition. 

An original portrait of Victor Arthur Seymour Williams, in coloured ink, depicting a portrait of a young soldier in uniform, encased in an oval silver frame with glass cover, reverse is plain bears “R.M.C. 1884 V.A.S.W”, a small wire offers a horizontal hanger, measures 64.8 mm (w) x 75.7 mm (h) x 7 mm (d), dark patina on silver, glass intact, in very fine condition. 

Footnote: 

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams was born in June 1937 in Port Hope, Upper Canada. He studied at Upper Canada College and the University of Edinburgh, and while he graduated with a law degree, he was never called to the bar. He was the founder and president of the Midlands Loans and Savings Company, and a director of the Midland Railway of Canada.

From 1867 to 1874, he represented Durham East in the Legislative Assembly. From 1879-1885, he was a conservative member in the House of Commons of Canada. 

In the military, A.T.H. Williams was captain, and later, the local militia, of the local militia. In 1885, he led The Midland Battalion, a military unit involved in the North-West Rebellion. Following the Battle of Batoche, he became ill and died of a fever in June 1885 at the age of 48. 

Major General Victor Arthur Seymour Williams was a Canadian general in the First War and later became the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. He was born in Port Hope, Ontario in 1867, to Emily and Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams. 

He attended the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston in 1884. Two years into his studies he was pulled out at the request of his parents and entered service in the North-West Mounted Police. In December 1887, he was gazetted as an inspector. By 1889, he transferred to the Mounted Infantry.

He married Euphemia Sutherland in 1890. Shortly thereafter he took a commission with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in 1893. During the Second Boer War, V.A.S Williams served as a major and lieutenant-colonel in command of ‘B’ Squadron of the Canadian Mounted Rifles. For his overseas service, he was promoted to brevet colonel and appointed commandant of the Royal School of Cavalry of Toronto. 

V.A.S. Williams continued to advance through the ranks. In 1907, he was appointed commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Inspector of Cavalry of the Dominion of Canada. In 1911, he commanded the mounted units at the Coronation of King George V. Between 1912-1914, he was Adjutant-General at Ottawa. 

During the First War, he commanded Valcartier Camp, Quebec, during the mobilization of the 1st Canadian Division and accompanied the contingent overseas. He served on the general staff of Field Marshals Sir John French and the British II and III Corps. He was recognized for gallant and distinguished services in 1916, while commanding the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade as brigadier-general. At the Battle of Mont Sorrel, June 3 1916, he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans. He was released in a prisoner exchange before the end of the water. 

He returned to Canada in 1918 and was promoted to major-general, commanding the military districts in Kingston and Toronto. From 1922 to 1939, he served as the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. V.A.S. Williams died in 1949.