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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 217

(x) Of Canadian interest - the fine 'Messines Ridge' group of seven to Lieutenant-Colonel T. C. 'Swadie' Sims, Edmonton Fusiliers; the wound he sustained at Ypres gave him a lifetime of agony, but he soldiered on to become a much-loved regimental character who championed veterans' affairs

1914-15 Star (Lieut: T. C. Sims. 1/Can: Inf:); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. T. C. Sims.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer's Decoration, G.V.R., 1st type, the reverse impressed 'Lt. Col. T. C. Sims 29th. Inf. Bde'; Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, G.V.R. (Lt. Col. T. C. Sims. Edmn. Regt.), mounted court-style as worn, the last separate, good very fine (7)

Tweedie Campbell Sims was born at Blackheath, London on 7 November 1876, the son of a printer/compositor with a photographic studio at Greenwich. Sims worked at the studio before joining the Royal Navy on 7 November 1897. He served aboard H.M.S. Indefatigable as an Ordinary Seaman from 7 August 1901, joining the Royal Fleet Reserve at Chatham the following year. He was discharged 'time expired' on 25 November 1907, by which time he had already emigrated to Edmonton, Canada with his wife Winifred. He fathered three children and took up residence at 110th Avenue, Edmonton, becoming a civil servant at the town's Dominion Customs Office. On 12 August 1914 he was commissioned into the 9th (Reserve) Battalion, 101st Edmonton Fusiliers, serving as a Lieutenant with 'H' Company. The Battalion sailed to England and embarked for France in May 1915. He was immediately drafted to the 1st Battalion at Rouen following its losses at the Second Battle of Ypres. Promoted to Captain (London Gazette 19 August 1918, refers), he saw heavy fighting at Messines Ridge that October. He served on the Western Front for five months before a period of recuperative leave, due to cancer of the rectum. This illness stemmed from an 'injury sustained in trenches', and it plagued him throughout his life.

Sims was admitted to the Middlesex Hospital on 2 February 1916. Even bed-bound, nothing in the regiment escaped his attention. He was a founding member of the Maple Leaf Club, the social club set up by Lady Julia Drummond to accommodate and entertain Canadian servicemen on leave. Drummond wanted to give the C.E.F. troops 'a touch of home' where they 'could be cared for and mothered a bit.' The Maple Leaf Club was supported by Rudyard Kipling and Robert Borden, the Canadian Prime Minister. After devoting himself to veterans' welfare, Sims returned to Canada per S.S. Melita on 14 October 1919.

'Swadie' Sims soldiered on despite his illness, becoming Lieutenant-Colonel of the Edmonton Fusiliers in 1924. He was photographed behind the Prince of Wales during his visit to Canada in 1927 (City of Edmonton Archives, EA-29-10). He was appointed a Police Magistrate in 1928 and served for 12 years, becoming a respected member of Edmonton society. He continued to help military veterans, and was recognised for this work by the King and Queen during their Canadian tour of June 1939. His talent for photography is revealed through the remarkable collection of his images held at the Edmonton Archives, Alberta. His cancer grew more serious, finally killing him in December 1939. Since the illness was linked to his Great War service, his wife Winifred was presented with a Canadian Memorial Cross. He was interred at Edmonton Cemetery with full military honours; sold with copied service papers and research.


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Sold for
£800

Starting price
£280