World War Medals

WW1 Military Medal with Bar awarded to Corporal Hubert Cairns, 920128 24th Battalion Quebec Regiment (Victoria Rifles). The 22 page Research Report provides details of Cairns’ family, his military background and service, and details of life post war. There is an Annexe to the Report consisting of over 80 pages, being copies of Cairns’ full service and medical records. These documents are available due to Canada’s military records surviving, unlike the majority of British military records which were destroyed by fire in WW2. Cairns was born in 1896 in Seaforth, Liverpool. He was the youngest child of 8, his parents being John Samuel and Isabella Cairns. He emigrated to Canada before the War, and was 18 years old and unmarried when Britain entered the War. On 18th November 1916, Cairns enlisted into the 199th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, giving his address in Montreal. He was at that time. His regiment sailed for Britain on 16th December, arriving on Boxing Day 1916. Cairns remained in training at Shoreham until transferred to the 23rd (Reserve) Battalion, Quebec Regiment, on 10th May 1917, before being posted to the 24th Battalion in France on 22nd May. The 24th Battalion was already in France and had arrived in May 1915. It was to serve the duration of the War as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. There were several major actions in which Cairns took part, including the Battle of Arras, the Battle of Vimy and the first Battle of Scarpe. On 17th September 1917, Cairns is admitted to no. 6 Casualty Clearing Station with diptheria, and was then transferred to no. 46 Stationary Hospital at Etaples. Shortly after, Cairns was evacuated to the Western General Hospital in Manchester, and then transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Wokingham. After convalescence, Cairns re-joined his regiment on 8th April 1918. He was appointed Lance Corporal in July and promoted Corporal in August. There were still major actions that Cairns would have seen including the Battle of Amiens and the Battle of the Scarpe. It would appear that Cairns was awarded the MM due to his action in the Battle of Amiens which took place between 8th and 12th August 1918. The Bar was reported in the War Diary on 23rd September and was related to the intense fighting in the Battle of the Scarpe between 26th and 30th August. Cairns was also involved in the Battle of Cambrai and on 5th October was wounded in his left thigh by a shell fragment. He was evacuated to England and admitted to Eastbourne Central Military Hospital for treatment. Anne’s Military Hospital in Montreal. On discharge, Cairns was awarded the Canada War Service Badge Class’A’ for service at the front, Badge number 270951. Having settled back in Liverpool, Cairns married Elizabeth Bradley on 24th May 1920. At that time, his occupation was Motor Driver. By 1939, Cairns and his wife had 2 children and were living in Crosby. Cairns was a mechanic in engineering work for the Admiralty. He died in 1962, aged 66. The item “Military Medal with Bar WW1 Plus Research Report” is in sale since Sunday, August 22, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “stephen3325″ and is located in Solihull. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Service: Army
• Conflict: World War I (1914-1918)
• Country/ Organization: Great Britain
• Theme: Militaria
• Type: Medals & Ribbons