MEDAL, MILITARY

Description: SILVER MEDAL ATTACHED TO RIBBON. RIBBON WITH THREE VERTICAL BANDS, YELLOW IN CENTRE AND BLUE ON EITHER SIDE. AT TOP OF RIBBON IS DECORATIVE CLASP BAR WITH PIN BACKING. CLASP BAR DEPICTS BEAVER AND MAPLE LEAVES ABOVE TEXT THAT READS, "CANADIAN LEGION, 1936." SILVER MEDAL DEPICTS CROSS BEHIND VIMY MEMORIAL. POPPIES BORDER LOWER HALF OF MEDAL AND TEXT BORDERS UPPER HALF OF MEDAL WHICH READS, "VIMY PILGRIMAGE."

History: ASSOCIATED WITH THE 1936 LEGION-INITIATED VIMY PILGRIMAGE BOOKLET, WHICH WAS TRANSFERRED TO ARCHIVES, REF: 20091058000 DURING THE OPENING DAYS OF THE VIMY BATTLE, N/SISTER NOBLE WAS AFFLICTED WITH TONSILLITIS AND WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO DUTY – 12 DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE HAD BEGUN – SHE LIKELY CARED FOR SOME OF THE BATTLE’S 10,602 CANADIAN CASUALTIES. IN FEBRUARY 1919, SHE TOLD THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD THAT HER HOSPITAL IN ESTAPLES COMPRISED “2290 BEDS” AND THAT SHE AND OTHER STAFF “CARED FOR AS MANY AS 50,000 IN ONE YEAR”. NOBLE IS RECORDED AS HAVING TRAVELLED TO FRANCE IN 1936 AS PART OF A LEGION HOSPITAL DELEGATION, ON HAND FOR THE VIMY MEMORIAL DEDICATION. OVER 100,000 PERSONS ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE ATTENDED THE DEDICATION EVENT. SHE PASSED AWAY IN TABER IN 1974. FOR MORE INFORMATIONON HELEN HALL (NEE NOBLE), SEE P20090010001 AND PERMANENT RECORD.