A fine Great War M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant W. R. Cameron, attached 50th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (a.k.a. “Mason’s Man Eaters”), who was severely wounded by fragments from a high explosive shell on Vimy Ridge a few days after winning his decoration

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. W. R. Cameron); Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45, silver, one or two edge bruises, generally very fine or better (5) £1200-1500

M.C. London Gazette 18 June 1917:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a raiding party. He personally made prisoners two group so f the enemy and carried in several wounded men under heavy fire. He displayed great gallantry throughout.’

William Ross Cameron was born in Peterborough, Canada, in August 1878, and enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in March 1916, when he was appointed a Lieutenant in the 208th Battalion, Canadian Infantry.

Subsequently embarked for England in September 1916, he was attached to the 50th Battalion in March 1917 and went out to France that May, presumably as a reinforcement following the Vimy Ridge offensive in the pervious month. But his active service career proved short-lived for, having won the M.C. for the above cited deeds, he was severely wounded by a high explosive shell on the Ridge a few days later. Described a few days later as ‘dangerously ill’ in a hospital at Boulogne, he was evacuated to the U.K. and thence, in September, by hospital ship to Canada. Examined at Toronto on arrival, the reporting surgeon stated:

‘X-ray examination shows the absence of the head of the right humerus and two inches of the upper end of the shaft of the bone. The result being he has a flail joint. There is marked wasting of muscle of the right shoulder girdle. Part of the deltoid muscle is missing. There is much limitation of movement of the upper arm ... There is a small scar of shrapnel on the right cheek.’

He duly remained an out-patient until December 1918, and was finally discharged as medically unfit in March 1921. The gallant Cameron died in April 1954; sold with copied service details.