Canada, Cef. A Memorial Group To The 49Th Battalion, Canal Du Nord Kia

Canada: British War Medal (811446 PTE. W. PERKINS. 49-CAN.INF.); Victory Medal (811446 PTE. W. PERKINS. 49-CAN.INF.); and Memorial Cross (811446 Pte. W. PERKINS). Naming is officially impressed on the First World War pair, the MC is officially engraved. Un-mounted, replacement ribbons, dark patina on the BWM and the MC, the MC accompanied by its case of issue, very light contact, near extremely fine.

Footnote: William Perkins was born on February 17, 1895 in Leominster, Herefordshire, England. He was a resident of Wetaskiwin, Alberta when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (811446) with the 138th Infantry Battalion "Edmonton Battalion", on December 18, 1915 at Edmonton, Alberta, at the age of 20, naming his next-of-kin as his brother, John Perkins of Bircher Common, Leominster, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Farmer. His religion was Church of England. While in Edmonton, he was admitted to Edmonton General Hospital on January 4, 1916 with "La Grippe" (Influenza), recovered and was discharged on the 31st, rejoining his unit. The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Edmonton, Alberta under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 22, 1916, aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. Belcher with a strength of 42 officers and 870 other ranks, arriving in Liverpool, England on the 30th. The Battalion was broken up and absorbed into the 47th, 50th, 128th, 137th and 175th Infantry Battalions, with Perkins being transferred to the 128th on December 8th. In his Will, dated the same day as his transfer, December 8, 1916, he bequeathed his real estate to his brother, James Perkins of Ludlow, Shropshire and half shares of his personal estate to his mother, Annie Simcox of Ludlow, Shropshire and to his aunt, Mary Bowen of Leominster, Herefordshire. Private Perkins proceeded overseas for service with the 49th Infantry Battalion on December 13, 1916, arriving at the Canadian Base Depot in France on the 14th. He was taken on strength of the 49th Infantry Battalion on the 19th, leaving for his new unit on January 14, 1917 and arriving with them on the 21st. He was admitted to No.1 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples on July 29, 1917, where he was diagnosed with a case of "Trench Fever". While in hospital at Etaples, he wrote a second Will, this one dated August 1, 1917, bequeathing both his real estate and his personal estate to his brother, John Perkins. After eight days in hospital, he was transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on August 6th, followed by a transfer to No. 5 Convalescent Depot at Cayeux the next day, on the 7th. After two months of recuperation at Cayeux, he was discharged to Base Details at Etaples on October 4th. Six days after his discharge from Cayeux, he sought medical attention a second time, treated at No. 58 Casualty Clearing Station for "Dental" issues, on October 10th and returned to duty the same day. He subsequently returned to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on the 16th, leaving for his unit on November 2, 1917 and joining them on the 4th. Seven and a half weeks later, Private Perkins sought medical attention for a third time, as he was admitted to No. 10 Canadian Field Ambulance on December 27, 1917, where he was diagnosed with "V.D.G." (venereal disease, gonorrhea). He was transferred to No. 22 Casualty Clearing Station the next day, on the 28th, where he would remain for the next three days, before being admitted to No. 51 General Hospital at Etaples on January 1, 1918. His stay at Etaples would last fourteen weeks, before he would be discharged to duty on April 11th. 811446 Private William Perkins, 49th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment) was Killed in Action, likely during the Battle of the Canal du Nord, part of the Hundred Days Offensive, on September 29, 1918, at the age of 23. He is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. At the base of the memorial, these words appear in French and in English: "TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA." Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial are the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as "'missing, presumed dead" in France. Private Perkins is commemorated on page 484 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. For his First World War service, he was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, credited with having served in Canada, England and France. His two war medals, his Memorial Plaque and Scroll, along with his Memorial Cross were forwarded to his mother, Annie Simcox of Ludlow, Shropshire, England.