Canadian Memorial Crosses

[Darrell]

Here are a few from my collection....Geo V and Geo VI types...I haven't any EIIR ones in my collection.

These are among my favourite medals...I really treasure them.

Very nice Adam

It's amazing how the George V ribbons have fallen apart on most medals.

P.S. The two on the bottom center. Are they court mounted? Very unusual ...

[Adam H]

The ribbons don't seem to stand up very well, you're right. Especially when compared to other ribbons of the same vintage. One of the cased crosses came with the pair, on original ribbons and they are virtually mint! Same goes for other crosses there that are part of groups (most of them I removed from display with the other medals)

I wonder if perhaps the dye they used in the ribbon causes them to deteriorate rapidly.

Regarding the 2 at the bottom centre...one is court mounted, done by the previous owner. It looks okay but not my favouite and I will probably take it off to display a bit better with the other medals in the group. (RHLI WWII KIA)

The one on the wide ribbon, I really don't know how it got to be that way. I got it at an auction and it was mounted on that wide ribbon. It's more "swing" as opposed to a court mount. This one to a Black Watch WWII Casualty.

[Darrell]

Regarding the 2 at the bottom centre...one is court mounted, done by the previous owner. It looks okay but not my favouite and I will probably take it off to display a bit better with the other medals in the group. (RHLI WWII KIA)

The one on the wide ribbon, I really don't know how it got to be that way. I got it at an auction and it was mounted on that wide ribbon. It's more "swing" as opposed to a court mount. This one to a Black Watch WWII Casualty.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[BILL]

Thank you Darrell! Awesome thread.

[azyeoman]

Thank you for posting this thread. It's very interesting and helpful and you have a wonderful collection too.

[Darrell]

Been a while ... but managed to grab an ERII Memorial Cross to Private T. (Timothy) Horgan.

The only information I have so far is he was a WW1 Veteran that must have died post 1953 due to WW1 related injuries. I have his Attestation Papers from WW1 enlistment.

1. Cross Obverse:

[Darrell]

Obverse Closeup:

[Darrell]

2. Reverse:

[Darrell]

Closeup of Reverse:

[Darrell]

WW1 Attestation Paper:

[force136]

Memorial Cross

It is interesting that all the crosses portrayed here have the same or very similar style engraving. I have seen crosses with crude and uneven engraving and always think of those as replacement examples or privately acquired examples which were engraved by the family. In my opinion, all officially engraved crosses should look like the engraving seen on the examples posted here. Can someone prove otherwise?? All the examples I have or have seen direct from families that have prov all have these styles of engraving. Some examples I have seen without a family connection or prov can have these other styles.

Ken

Well, this isn't an area that I've really dropped into yet, however, I purchased a nice pair of Canadian Memorial Crosses that make a nice set. They go along well with the one I have from the wife's Grandfather KIA France July 1944.

First up ....

1. William Grant (KIA July 19, 1944 - during Operation Goodwood - ill fated Allied attempt to grab Caen).

Obverse:

[Adam H]

There are a considerable number of naming styles on Memorial Crosses, depending on the era. Numerous different engravers were used to name up the crosses, especially during the First and Second World War periods when so many were being issued. Additionally, quite a few manufacturers of crosses existed.

Consequently, one encounters a diverse variety of authentic naming and engraving styles (hand engraved, machine engraved, etc). Some of the Second World War hand engraved examples certainly have a more crude appearance compared with the uniform machine engraved crosses.

Cheers,

Adam

[pzrwest]

Aren't these crosses called the Mother's Cross or Silver Mother's Cross? Each year at the Remembrance Day Service at Cenotaph in Ottawa the Silver Mother's Cross mother lays a wreath

[Darrell]

These examples shown are officially called the "Canadian Memorial Cross".

Mother's Cross, or Silver Mother's Cross are simply "nicknames" attributed to these as they were awarded to surviving mothers of the soldiers that earned them. That's not really a correct term per say, as the soldier's wife was also entitled to one as well.

[force136]

Going through some of my documents on Canadian cap badge production during WW2, which includes the cross and the contracting of crosses during WW 2, it is obvious that manufacture and issue was controlled by the government. They were not contracted out en-mass but in spurts when required. The manufacturers were chosen by the government by their production availability. In other words, usually only one company was producing them at a time. You can compare the contracts with the issues. This leads me to believe that, like in the United States, there were government contracted engravers and there should only be a select number of engraving styles used. As mentioned, the styles I have seen are found on all makers and exist during the war and post war ( WW2 ). As also found on all posted here. So I am still suspicious of awkward or crude engraving. I think these were done on privately acquired replacements by the family. I will look into this as there are several files at LAC on the Memorial Cross.

Ken

QUOTE=Darrell;6457372]These examples shown are officially called the "Canadian Memorial Cross".

Mother's Cross, or Silver Mother's Cross are simply "nicknames" attributed to these as they were awarded to surviving mothers of the soldiers that earned them. That's not really a correct term per say, as the soldier's wife was also entitled to one as well.[/QUOTE]