medal, Silver Cross, medals, Military, Canada, Canadian Armed Forces
Artist: London, mint; Date(s): 1914 - 1919; Classification(s): medal, Silver Cross, medals, Military, Canada, Canadian Armed Forces; Acquisition: loan by Cambridge in America, 2005 [LW.0339]
Description: The Silver Cross, now known as the Canadian Memorial Cross since the introduction of a similar award by New Zealand in 1960, was instituted in 1914, and was issued to the mother and/or widow of any Canadian serviceman killed in action during the Great War of 1914-1918. The initial award was concluded in 1919, but a new version struck in 1940 for Second World War service deaths and it has remained on issue since that time. In 2006, indeed, the first award was made to a widower in memory of his wife, who had been killed in combat in Aghanistan.
This cross was awarded to the next-of-kin of Private C. Smith, of the Royal Canadian Army. As the cross bears the monogram of George V, his fatal service must have been during the Great War, but no more is known. Lester Watson acquired the cross at some point before 1928.
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