Matthew Rae’s First World War medals and letters are coming home.
The serendipitous saga of the fallen Markham soldier’s Canadian Memorial Cross and Canada British War Medals and correspondence to his family began more than 92 years ago.
Pte. Rae, honoured on The Cenotaph in Unionville, is one of 10 men “who made the supreme sacrifice” between 1914 and 1918.
The 4th Mounted Rifles Battalion signal corpsman was wounded and captured in 1917.
He died at 24 as a Prisoner of War in France. Buried in Belgium, all that remained of his legacy and the horrors of trench warfare and his last days alone far from home were the medals and his written words.
The worn medals and pristine missives remained with his family, including his father, Presbyterian Church of Unionville Reverend Frank Rae.
Last week, they emerged from the mists of time, available to the highest bidder at Internet auction site eBay.
Dave Thomson, a St. George, Ont., hobbiest who scours cyberspace for war veterans’ medals to repatriate them with families or hometown museums and archives, discovered the online offering and alerted the Markham Museum.
His research revealed the historical cache had almost been thrown into the trash following an estate sale. It was retrieved and auctioned. An anonymous Whitby buyer, aware of the value, offered the collection on eBay.
Museum acting manager Anna Rose mobilized a frenzied campaign to raise funds and authorized Mr. Thomson, a savvy eBay user, to bid on behalf of the town. A weekend story in The Economist & Sun prompted many residents to offer donations.
Longtime Markham residents Harold and Arlajean Everett, whose daughter and son are career Canadian military staff, offered to underwrite the bid.
Thursday’s 7 p.m. online deadline came and went with 10 bidders vying for the prize. With four seconds remaining before bids closed, Mr. Thomson’s $610 submission trumped a previous offer of $600.
“This is the most exciting thing to happen to me in ions,” said Ms Rose, who monitored the last moments of the auction online. “We won the bid with seconds left.
“Mr. Thomson was outstanding to work with. I respect what he’s done for Markham and the museum and all without asking for any compensation.”
Mr. Everett, 74, was present at the Markham Civic Centre yesterday afternoon when Ms Rose delivered Pte. Rae’s belongings and a bonus set of newspaper clippings, land deeds and various Rae family memorabilia the eBay seller gave the town freely.
“Our family has a long military history dating to 1812 in Canada and the United States, but this is about a Markham boy,” he said. “It came down to that.”
Mr. Everett’s interest was piqued after reading the article. He pledged the funds necessary for the successful bid.
“I’ve never met Dave (Thomson), but I think this is great,” he said. “He’s not in this for any money. He’s the kind of people we need.”
The medals and letters, including a pencilled note from Pte. Rae to his father warning him prison doctors suspected he may not survive, will be on display at the civic centre prior to permanent museum display.
“It’s an important collection that makes a connection between a town resident and his involvement in the war, ”Markham Museum board chairperson John Buie said. “This will be a very interesting exhibit. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Everett and others, they are now part of the museum’s collection.”
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said the town received a number of offers of support.
“We thank everyone who came forward,” he said. “This purchase could be the start of an enhanced collection of medals and other memorabilia for the museum.
“This would be a tangible expression of Markham’s motto, leading while remembering.”
More than 100 veterans reside in Markham today, he said, adding 68 Markham residents gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars.
The museum continues to seek donations to be used for the eventual display of Pte. Rae’s medals and letters, Ms Rose said.
“I feel good about this one,” Mr. Thomson said. “The seller made a good profit. But, really, Matthew Rae deserved this. He paid the higher price.”
To support the bid, call the museum at 905-294-4576.