In the midst of the second lockdown we were delighted to have some cheerful news when our Assistant Curator, Philip Mitchell, first spotted, and then bid for, Alfred Quick Noall’s Canadian Memorial Cross in a London auction.
Alfred was born in St Ives in 1895 but by 1911 he was a tin dresser living with his parents in St Agnes. His father was a Coastguard and the family lived at 1, Coastguard Station, St Agnes. Alfred was attested for the Canadian Army on 12 April 1916 in Jarvis, Ontario. He joined the Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force as a Private and was killed in action on 12 September 1917, aged 22. He was buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France, and is commemorated on both St Agnes War Memorial and the Parish Church War Memorial and Roll of Honour.
He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal as well as the Canadian Memorial Cross.
Philip successfully bid for the silver medal, sold for hammer price of £140, on 12 November 2020. The cost was borne by some very kind donors to whom we are extremely grateful. Until now the Museum did not have a Canadian Memorial Cross.