Canada, Cef. A 1918 Dcm For Gallantry Under Heavy Enemy Shelling Near Sancourt

Distinguished Conduct Medal, George V (338818 A.B.Q.M. Sjt H.M. KELLY. CAN:F.A.); British War Medal (338818 A.B.Q.M. SJT. H.M. KELLY. C.F.A.); and Victory Medal (338818 A.B.Q.M. SJT. H.M. KELLY. C.F.A.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, dark patina on the BWM, edge nicks on the DCM, gilt wear on the VM, contact marks, replacement ribbons, very fine.

Footnote: Hugh Moore Kelly was born on January 17, 1890 in Drumkirk, Comber, County Down, Ireland, the son of Patrick Patton Kelly and Sara Kelly. He was a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Gunner (338818) with the 62nd Battery, 15th Overseas Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, on April 19, 1916 in Vancouver, at the age of 26, naming his next-of-kin as his father, Patrick Kelly of Drumkirk, Comber, County Down, Ireland, stating that that he had no previous military service, that he was not married, that his religion was Presbyterian and that his trade was that of Oiler with a Canadian Pacific Railway Steamboat. Five weeks after signing his Attestation Paper, he was transferred from the 68th Battery to the 15th Brigade on May 22, 1916. Kelly embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Cameronian on September 11, 1916, arriving in Liverpool, England on the 22nd. He was posted to the 14th Brigade at Witley on January 22, 1917, then transferred to the 15th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery at Witley on March 12, 1917, which was followed by a posting to the 82nd Howitzer Battery at Milford on March 17th, as he was scheduled to proceed overseas to the French theatre. Kelly arrived in France with the 1st Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column on the 18th and was posted the 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery that day. Kelly suffered a gun shot wound (shrapnel) to his right thigh on May 2, 1917.

He was initially treated at No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance on the 2nd, before being transferred and admitted to No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance on the 4th. He would remain at No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance for one week, before being discharged from hospitalization and rejoined his unit on the 11th. He was appointed Acting Bombardier on September 2, 1917, promoted to Bombardier on January 25, 1918 and promoted to Corporal on March 4, 1918. 338818 Acting Battery Quartermaster Hugh Moore Kelly, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, for actions he took near Sancourt on September 30, 1918, the announcement of the award appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 31370 of Friday, May 30, 1919, on Tuesday, June 3, 1919, page 6862. His citation for the award appeared in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 31819 of Tuesday, March 9, 1920, on Thursday, March 11, 1920, page 3121 and in the Canada Gazette of April 24, 1920, page 3618: "For marked gallantry in action. Near Sancourt, on 30th September, 1918, when the battery was moving to positions under heavy enemy shelling, he, though wounded, stuck to his gun and put it in action. When a lull occurred in the enemy fire, he led the ammunition wagons in and took charge of the unloading of ammunition." Although he was a Corporal at the time of the actions that led to his Distinguished Conduct Medal, the award incorporated his later rank of Battery Quartermaster Sergeant, as that was his rank at the time of publication in the London Gazette. Four days after his heroic actions, he was promoted to Sergeant on October 4, 1918. Upon the ceasing of hostilities, Kelly was promoted early in the new year, to Acting Battery Quartermaster Sergeant on March 15, 1919, which was followed by his proceeding to England the following week, on March 22nd. Acting Battery Quartermaster Hugh Moore Kelly was discharged upon demobilization in England, at No. 2 Canadian Discharge Depot in London, on April 14, 1919 and was struck off strength of the 2nd Brigade to G Wing, 1st Command Depot Pool at Bramshott on April 17th. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. In his Will, dated August 27, 1916, he bequeathed all his real estate and personal estate to Miss Martha Kelly of Drumkirk, Comber, County Down, Ireland, but of course, the Will was never executed.