Pair: Private J. Sullivan, 124th (Governor General’s Body Guard) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, late 109th (Victoria and Haliburton) Battalion, who was grievously wounded by a shell explosion which necessitated the remains of his forearm to be immediately amputated at a Casualty Clearing Station

British War and Victory Medals (725061 Pte. J. Sullivan. 124-Can. Inf.) mounted court-style for display, nearly extremely fine (2) £100-£140

John Sullivan was born in Bristol on 7 March 1877, the son of Irish-born parents James and Julia Sullivan of 82 Narrow Quay, Bristol. Having lost both parents at a relatively young age, Sullivan determined to forge a new life as a marine fireman in Toronto; he is recorded in 1914 as a resident of the Derby Restaurant on York Street.

The outbreak of the Great War saw Sullivan volunteer for the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Lindsay on 21 December 1915. Sent to the 109th Battalion, he sailed to England on 23 June 1916 and transferred to the 124th Battalion on 3 May 1917. Posted to the Pas-de-Calais, he was soon in the thick of the action and was wounded by shellfire:
‘At Lens Junction, May 20/17 was wounded by shrapnel just below the elbow. Was also wounded right lower jaw which was fractured. On the same night amputation was done at No. 13 C.C.S., through lower 1/3rd arm. Fragment struck him below the elbow shattering same. Extensively burned both sides of the neck.’

This area of land around Lens Junction - where the Bethune and La Bassee roads meet - later bore witness to what became known as the Battle of Hill 70 and the first enemy use of the ‘yellow cross’ shell containing the blistering agent sulphur mustard. Evacuated to No. 83 General Hospital, Sullivan’s Service Record states that he received considerable medical and dental attention to his stump and jaw; suffering from post-operative lesions, the paperwork notes ‘all lower teeth gone’, and ‘wears plate above’, in preparation for the fitting of dentures and healing of the upper mandible.

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Monks Horton in Kent, Sullivan went A.W.O.L. for 3 days from 18 September 1917 and had his pay docked. He was later invalided to Canada per H.S. Glenart Castle on 15 November 1917 and discharged physically unfit with a 50% pension in August 1918. Although unconfirmed, it seems that he never married and died in Bristol in 1950.