Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant A. F. Radford, 50th (Calgary) Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Military Medal, G.V.R. (252192 Sjt. A. F. Radford, 50/Alberta R.); British War and Victory Medals (252192 Sjt. A. F. Radford, 50-Can. Inf.), the second with official correction to surname, nearly extremely fine (3) £450-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces.

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M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919. The original recommendation states:

‘In front of Cambrai on 28 September 1918. For conspicuous gallantry and leadership. He showed great coolness and courage in leading his section of rifle grenadiers who cut the wire of a trench near Raillencourt under sweeping enemy machine-gun fire, making a path for his own and a Lewis Gun Section. He then, with his section, reduced an enemy machine-gun nest in trench, by bombing.’

Albert Frank Radford was born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Living at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and employed as a Banker, he enlisted into the 209th (Swift Current) Battalion in February 1916. He arrived in England on 11 November 1916 and on the following day was placed on Command to the Divisional Pay Office at Sandgate, Kent. Later he was transferred to the 9th Reserve Battalion, and thence, in April 1918, to the 50th Battalion, with whom he won his M.M. for the above cited deeds at Cambrai that September. Radford was discharged at Quebec in August 1919; sold with his original Discharge Certificate and citation slip, together with copied service papers.