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Good Morning Everyone...…

Just spent three very tiring days at a Gun and Military Show here in Calgary...… Very disappointed with the number (only 2 QSA;s) and quality, (One was renamed) of the medals that I was looking for...… There were plenty of medals, badges and uniforms which were very nice but trying to find anything Boer War or South African is quite hard..... There was one interesting booth, Hunting Safari's to Namibia...… Lots of western items and of course cowboy items..... But I did not leave completely empty handed..... A side cap for the 16th Lancers and a Trivet…… Then an hour before the show ended along came a silver trophy..... Could not resist for a couple of reasons.....


The shape of a Boer War period water bottle supported by three stretchers mounted on a wooden base with one award plaque.....

There was another award plaque but it is missing.......
I know that it is highly improbable but look at this thread also: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/9...bw-information#19647

Mike












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The material at the Calgary show is just amazing, Mike.

Found the men on the Trophy...… Both were at McGill University and Number 3 General Hospital with John D. McCrae the author of "In Flanders Field's"

Mike

Herbert Stanley Birkett, M.D.

Born Hamilton, Ont., July 17th, 1864

Son of William Birkett (deceased), and Caroline Amelia Ball.

Educated: Forest House School, Chester, England ; McGill University, Montreal; (M.D., C.M., LL.D., McGill.).

Professor, Otolaryngology, McGill University from 1894.

Dean, Faculty of Medicine, 1914 to 1921.

Chief of the Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Victoria Hospital.

Past President, the American Laryngological Assoc.

American Otological Society and American Rhinological-Otological and Laryngological Society.

Hon. President, Clinical Congress of Laryngology, London, England, 1919.

Vice-Pres., Section of Otology and Laryngology, British Medical Assoc.

1897 and 1906. Past President, Montreal Medico-Chirurgical Society

Hon. Member of the Italian Laryngological Society

Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine

Semon Lecturer, University of London, Eng., 1922.

Surgeon-Major, Victoria Rifles of Can. 1887.

Commanding Officer No. 3 Bearer Coy and No. 4 Field Hospital, 1900.

Principal Medical Officer, Military District No. 4, 1906.

Organizer and O.C. No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill).

Consulting Otolaryngologist, Boulogne Area, France.

Asst. Director-General, Canadian Medical Corps, Overseas Military Forces of Canada.

Mentioned in Despatches by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig and awarded Companionship most Honorable Order of the Bath, 1917.

Married Margaret MacNaughton, July 12th, 1899; has one daughter.

Clubs: Mount Royal; University; Hunt; Royal Montreal Golf. Societies: Fellow, American Laryngological Assoc.; American Otological Society; American Rhinological, Otological & Laryngological Society; Bronchoscopic Society Royal Society of Medicine; British Medical Assoc.; Montreal Medico-Chirurgical Society. Recreation: Golf.

Conservative.

Church of England.

Residence: 252 Mountain Street, Montreal

AND

Henry Brydges Yates

The son of Henry and Emily Yates of Brantford, Ont.

He was born in Montreal, Que., on May 10, 1865.

Yates was educated in England at Charterhouse and obtained a B.A. at Jesus College, Cambridge in 1888.

He then returned to Montreal, where he earned a medical degree at McGill University in 1893. Yates served as captain of the football team at McGill. He was a lecturer in bacteriology and served on staff at McGill from 1898 until 1914.

In 1914, he was elected president of the Quebec branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society.

During the war, he rose to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, served as a doctor in the Canadian Army Medical Corps and was the second in command of the No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill) in Boulogne, France.

While overseas, he organized football and baseball games for his unit, making him very popular among the troops. After active service in France, Yates fell ill, suffering from bronchitis after a fierce storm on Nov. 13, 1915. He was admitted to the very same hospital he administered but failed to improve during the next few days and was evacuated to England where he died at Ramsgate (near Kent) on Jan. 22, 1916.

His body was returned to Montreal, where it was buried in the family tomb at the Mount Royal Cemetery on Feb. 16, 1916.

THE YATES CUP.......

On Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 the Yates Cup will be presented for the 108th time, to the winners of the Ontario University Association football championship game between the No. 5 nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons and the No. 2 Western Mustangs.

The Cup was first presented in 1898 by Dr. Henry Brydges Yates of McGill University, to the Toronto Varsity Blues, winners of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union. The Cup is the oldest continually played for football trophy in North America, predating the Grey Cup by 11 years and also the Little Brown Jug, the trophy awarded to the winner of the University of Michigan - Minnesota game in Division 1A which was also first presented in 1909.

The following has been sent to me to expand the information on this Competition Cup.....

Mike

Hi Mike,

Coincidentally, I had just read about this while working on the history of No. 6 Field Ambulance. Apparently the two Montreal AMC units (No. 3 Bearer Company and No. 3 Field Hospital) held a competition for best stretcher squad every year:

The Montreal Star, 4 July, 1901.

WON THE TROPHY—

The handsome silver trophy for general efficiency presented by Major H.S. Birkett, A.M.S., and the officers of No. 3 Bearer Company for competition among the different squads was won by squad No. 3 of which the members are Sergt. McAdam, in command, and Ptes. Knox, Holland, Warren and Thompson. The winners defeated No. 1 squad under Sergt. J.H. Mathewson by a smell margin. The trophy represents a squad of four men and a sergeant carrying a wounded man upon a stretcher.

The Gazette, Montreal, 16 June, 1902.

SQUAD CUP COMPETITION –

The annual competition for the squad cup of No. 3 Bearer Company will be held Saturday afternoon on St. Helen's Island. Major Birkett, A.M.S., will be the Judge, and the men will be examined in squad and company drill, first aid to the
wounded, stretcher, Ambulance end hand-seat drill. A keen competition is expected.

The Gazette, Montreal, 23 June, 1902.

HOSPITAL AND BEARER COMPANIES AT DRILL

Six Squads Compete for the Trophy, No. 3 Squad Winning the Shield –

The Third Bearer Company and the Third Field Hospital Company were to have held their annual Inspection and field day yesterday. All arrangements were made for the corps to go over to St. Helen's Island, but owing to the wet weather the arrangements were postponed. In the meantime it had been arranged that the various squads of the Bearer Company should compete for a trophy shield, and this opportunity had been embraced for the occasion.

Unfortunately the Inspection had to be deferred on account of the wet, but all the men turning up it was decided that the contest for the trophy should proceed at he Drill Hall. Owing to the absence of Lieut.-Colonel Neilson, A.M.S.; Lieut.-Colonel Wilson, A. M.S., and Surgeon-Lieut. McTaggart, P.W.F., inspected the various squads. Six squads competed, and the regular Ambulance drill was gone through, each section having to handle a casualty. Two Ambulance wagons were present, and assisted In the drill.

Squad No. 3 of the Bearer Company won the trophy, the men doing their work
with great precision, made a score of 279 out of a possible 300. The winning squad was composed of Sergt. Adams, Privates Leslie, Fickens. Anderson and Goyne.

In the evening a supper was held at the company's rooms in St. Catherine street, at which the following officers were present: Major H. S. Birkett, A.M.S., commanding officer; Captain K. Cameron, A.M.S., and Capt. C.H. Wylde, A.M.S.; Lieut. C.A. Peters, A.M.S.; Lieut. Hill, A.M.S., and Surgeon Captain McTaggart, P.W.F. A most pleasant evening was passed In the company's room, both officers and men taking part In the program. Songs, recitations and speeches were given, and the supper proved a great success.

It was announced that No. 3 Field Hospital will have complete equipment, and will be prepared to attend to any case of necessity on Coronation Day, either to the visiting troops or to civilians who may need assistance. No. 3 Bearer Company will also be on hand to render all possible assistance.

I am still hunting for a report on the 1900 trophy.

Greg.