Six: Drum Major William McCaffery, Canadian Grenadier Guards, late 14th Battalion Canadian Infantry and Manchester Regiment
Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (7789 Corpl., Manchester Regt.); 1914-15 Star (Q.M. Sjt., 14/Can. Inf.); British War and Victory Medals (25667 C.Q.M. Sjt., 14-Can. Inf.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service, G.V.R. (C.Q.M.S., C.G.G.); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Canada, with Second Award Clasp (Drum Major, C.G.G.) mounted court style for wear, polished, worn (6) £220-260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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William McCaffery (McCaffry on birth certificate) was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, on 12 February 1882. He served in the Boer War as a Corporal in the Manchester Regiment. Then emigrating to Canada, he joined the Grenadier Guards of Canada in about 1912. Employed as a Stenciller, he enlisted into the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1914 and went overseas with the 14th Battalion. He was promoted to Company Quartermaster Serjeant in April 1915. On 20 May 1916 he was buried when a shell exploded near him. As a result he was invalided to England and was treated at No. 3 Southern General Hospital at Oxford; the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bearwood, Wokingham; the Canadian Divisional Hospital Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom, amongst others. Still suffering from the effects of shell shock, he returned to Canada in November 1919 and was finally discharged in February 1920. After the war he returned to service with the Canadian Grenadier Guards and was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (Canada Gazette 3 September 1927); the Efficiency Medal (Canada) (Canada Gazette 22 July 1939), and 1st clasp (Canada Gazette 12 January 1946). William McCaffery died on 11 August 1971. Sold with recipient’s identity disk, ‘25667 C.Q.M.S. W. McCaffery, 14 C. Batt. R.M.R.’; several photographs; copied service papers and other research.