Lot 65
Great War Memorial Plaque to Private Henry George Ross, 46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Saskatchewan Regiment, Service No. 1009916, 1917
Lot 65 Details
Great War Memorial Plaque to Private Henry George Ross, 46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Saskatchewan Regiment, Service No. 1009916, 1917
in original card envelope with King's note on Buckingham Palace note paper
diameter 5 in — 12.7 cm
Estimate $200-$300
Additional Images
Note:
Henry George Ross was born on May 1, 1887, in Clinton, Prince Edward Island. By 1916, he had established a life in Moose Jaw, with his wife, Marguerite Ross. On April 12, 1916 Ross enlisted with the 229th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). Upon arrival in Europe, Private Ross was transferred to the 46th Battalion (South Saskatchewan Regiment), joining them in France and Flanders. The 46th Battalion was an elite but tragically dangerous unit, eventually earning the moniker "The Suicide Battalion". The unit was repeatedly thrust into the centre of Canada's bloodiest campaigns—including the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and Hill 70, suffering an astronomical 91.5% casualty rate over the course of the war.
In October 1917, the 46th Battalion was moved north into the Ypres Salient in Belgium to participate in the Battle of Passchendaele. On October 27, 1917, during the initial phases of the Canadian assault on the ridge, at the age of 30, Private Ross was killed in action. He was buried at the Nine Elms British Cemetery near Poperinge, Belgium.