Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

HONOURABLE SERVICE DISCHARGE MEDAL

Date

1919

Materials

BRONZE, BRASS

No. Pieces

1

Length

2.8

Width

2.6

Description

"84763" CROWN OF ENGLAND OVER 3 MAPLE LEAVES. "FOR HONOURABLE SERVICE CANADA" "CARON BROS. MONTREAL 1919".

Subjects

PERSONAL SYMBOL

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

BELONGED TO BOMBARDIER ALFRED E. BEDWELL. DISCHARGED IN 1919 FROM 20TH BATTERY ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS, INCLUDING SOME DONATED BY CYRIL BEDWELL. BEDWELL PROVIDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON HIS FATHER, ALFRED E. BEDWELL, THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THESE OBJECTS. ALFRED E. BEDWELL WAS BORN IN LONDON, ENGLAND IN 1890. HE EMIGRATED TO CANADA IN 1910, WORKING FIRST IN ONTARIO AND THE MOVING TO COALHURST, ALBERTA TO WORK IN SHAUGHNESSY COAL MINE. BEDWELL ENLISTED IN THE 20TH BATTERY R.C.A. ON NOVEMBER 23, 1914. AFTER BEING WOUNDED IN ACTION BY SHELL FRAGMENTS IN 1915, HE WAS PROMOTED TO BOMBARDIER AND RETURNED TO FIGHTING IN FRANCE. IN 1917 BEDWELL WAS WOUNDED AND GASSED, CAUSING HIS EVACUATION TO ENGLAND. HE RETURNED TO CANADA AND WAS TREATED AT COLONEL BELCHER MILITARY HOSPITAL IN CALGARY IN 1919. BELCHER WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON APRIL 16, 1919. DURING THE WAR HE MARRIED HIS CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART MATHILDA KING, IN LONDON - SHE WAS REPATRIATED TO CANADA AS A WAR BRIDE IN 1919 AND THEY HAD FIVE SONS. AFTER THE WAR BEDWELL WORKED AS A STOKERMAN AT THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE POWER HOUSE UNTIL HE MOVED TO VANCOUVER IN 1944, WHERE HE WAS EMPLOYED AS THE CHIEF ENGINEER FOR UNITED FISHERMAN'S CO-OPERATIVE UNTIL 1953. BEDWELL CONTINUED TO SUFFER ILL EFFECTS OF WAR GAS - HE WAS UNDER CONTINUAL MEDICAL CARE FOR HIS ADULT LIFE TO ALLEVIATE PAIN AND ULTIMATELY PASSED AWAY ON APRIL 24, 1955 IN VANCOUVER AT SHAUGHNESSY MILITARY HOSPITAL. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, SEE PERMANENT FILE P19880056001. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF PERSONAL ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING THIS CIGARETTE CASE DONATED BY CYRIL BEDWELL. AS OF THE AUDIT'S DATE, ACCESS TO ALFRED EDWARD BEDWELL'S WORLD WAR I SERVICE RECORDS HAD BECAME AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES OF CANADA'S DIGITAL DATABASE. THE RECORDS CONFIRM THAT BEDWELL ATTESTED IN LETHBRIDGE. FULL RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE. FURTHER RESEARCH CONDUCTED TO LOCATE THE DONOR'S NEXT-OF-KIN WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

Catalogue Number

P19880056002

Acquisition Date

1988-08

Collection

Museum

Less detail