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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 357

A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Lieutenant, late Sergeant D. C. Rolland, 19th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Military Medal, G.V.R. (55326 Sjt: D. C. Rolland. 19/Can: Inf: Bn:); British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. D. C. Rolland.), minor contact marks, nearly very fine (2)

M.M. Edinburgh Gazette 26 December 1916. The citation states:

'For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty while acting Company Sergeant Major, his company occupied three posts which he repeatedly visited at great personal risk and by his example encouraged his men in most trying circumstances.'

David Campbell Rolland was born on 15 April 1885 at Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Agnes Rolland of 55 Brookmount Road, Toronto. A bookkeeper by profession, Rolland saw previous service with the 48th Highlanders and 9 years with the 5th Battalion, Scottish Rifles, before attesting for the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Toronto on 10 November 1914.

The 19th (Central Ontario) Battalion was originally raised at Exhibition Park, Toronto, on 6 November 1914. As part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, the men were posted to West Sandling Camp, Shorncliffe, England, on 23 May 1915 and served in France from 14 September 1915, being heavily engaged at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the Battle of Thiepval and the Battle of Le Transloy. Present at Vimy Ridge, Hill 70 and the Battle of Passchendaele, the intensity of the engagements are graphically described in the diary entries of Private John Mould of the 19th Battalion:

'Unmerciful shells were sent over in dozens and within a very short time the ground all around us looked to all appearances like a newly ploughed field. How we escaped without being cut up is one of the things I am not able to explain.'

Commissioned Lieutenant, Rolland was one of 118 officers and some 5,000 other ranks who passed through the 19th Battalion during the conflict. Of these men, 3,076 became casualties, including 737 killed in action of all ranks. Commenting on this remarkable turnover, veteran R. H. Neil later declared:

'The Battalion had changed over in personnel almost four and one half times but one thing had not changed - it was the same old 19th' (A History of the 19th Battalion, C.E.F., by Dr. David Campbell, refers).

Whilst Neil's sentiment is understandable, much had changed since the Battalion first formed up. Experience and training had transformed its personnel from amateur volunteers into battle-hardened professionals, due heavily to the imparting of skills, knowledge and unit culture by veteran officers such as Rolland and other ranks who served long enough to pass on their expertise; sold with copied service papers.


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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£170