Auction Catalogue

17 September 2004

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 1053

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17 September 2004

Hammer Price:
£320

Three: Corporal E. A. Warden, Head Quarters Signal Company, Canadian Field Artillery, who was killed whilst carrying despatches on his motorcycle in France on 16 September 1917

1914-15 Star (83264 Gnr., Can. Fd. Art.); British War and Victory Medals (83264 A. Cpl., C.F.A.); together with memorial plaque (Ernest Alfred Warden); and Canadian Memorial Cross (83264 A.-Cpl.) the trio and plaque mounted for display in a contemporary glazed frame; together with Buckingham Palace letter and issuing card for Canadian Memorial Cross, nearly extremely fine (5) £130-160

The following is extracted from the Dulwich College Roll of Honour: ‘Corporal Ernest Alfred Warden was born on 8 December 1891. On leaving Dulwich he was articled to a firm of Electrical Engineers in Aston, near Birmingham, and after three years came to London in connection with the same firm for eighteen months. In May 1913, he went out to take up an appointment at St Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada, and from there to the Niagara Power House, subsequently joining the Electric Lighting Company at Toronto. In May 1915, he joined the Canadian Field Artillery and came over with the Canadian Second Contingent. After training at Westenhanger, he left for France in September and was in the fighting round Ypres, serving with the Ammunition Column. He next saw service on the Somme and early in 1917 exchanged into the Canadian Army Signals, becoming a motorcycle despatch rider. Whilst engaged in carrying despatches at night, a motor lorry on the wrong side of the road collided with him, with the result that he was so seriously injured that he only lived a few hours after the accident. He died on the 16th September 1917, and was buried in the British Cemetery at Bruay.’