1918 - 18 October - BATTLE OF CANAL DU NORD - Original CGG WWI Military Medal and Bar (For Bravery in the Field) named to CGG Stretcher Bearer 127317 Pte Arthur William Coppen (60th Bn. / 87th Bn.) - KIA on 18 October 1918

Archive

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Musée Canadian Grenadier Guards Museum

Name/Title

1918 - 18 October - BATTLE OF CANAL DU NORD - Original CGG WWI Military Medal and Bar (For Bravery in the Field) named to CGG Stretcher Bearer 127317 Pte Arthur William Coppen (60th Bn. / 87th Bn.) - KIA on 18 October 1918

Scope and Content

For Museum records only - Part of the Lieutenant Michael A. Hayes-Rivet (MHR) Trust Collection *** FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY - ARTIFACT NOT PART OF MUSEUM COLLECTION *** 1918 - 18 October - Original WWI CGG Military Medal and Bar (For Bravery in the Field) named to CGG Stretcher Bearer 127317 Pte Arthur William Coppen (60th Bn. / 87th Bn.) - KIA on 18 October 1918. Arthur was originally buried on another side of town in a cemetery constructed by the German Army. Arthur’s body remained in Bugnicourt German Military Cemetery for over four years until exhumed and reburied in Cabaret-Rouge in December 1922 with 3 other CGG 87th Bn members, Lt Alexander Robert Grant MM, Pvt Leo Antonio Brossard, and Pvt Stephen Henry Taylor. One of only 20 CGG members to be awarded an MM & Bar CITATIONS FOR BRAVERY M.M. London Gazette 6 January 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as a Stretcher Bearer. When many Stretcher Bearers had become casualties he carried on their work as far as he could and slightly wounded, remained on duty rendering first aid till his unit was relieved.’ M.M. Second posthumous award Bar London Gazette 13 March 1919. ABOUT THE CGG SOLDIER Arthur William Coppen was born in Croydon, Surrey in March 1893. Prior to the war, he was a motor mechanic and resided at 7 Henry Street, Woodstock, Ontario. Coppen attested for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in August 1915, and was initially posted to the 71st Battalion, Canadian Infantry. He served as a Stretcher Bearer with the 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards) on the Western Front, and was killed in action, 18 October 1918. C.E.F. Burial Registers gives - "Killed in Action - was in a wood hutment, when a shell detonated on the roof, pieces hitting him in the head and instantly killing him." Private Coppen is buried in the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France. ABOUT CGG WWI MM & BAR RECIPIENTS MM & Bar (2nd Award): 20 Recipients Blaney, James Edward - 87th Bn – MM & Bar – Only Brothers in CEF from same unit MM & Bar recipients in WWI Blaney, Wesley – 87th Bn – MM & Bar - Only Brothers in CEF from same unit MM & Bar recipients in WWI Bolton, John James ‘Harry’ - 1st Bn (CEF) – MM & Bar Burkitt, William Leonard - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Cochran, John - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Collyer, Cyril Selmes - 87th Bn – MM & Bar, 60th Bn CEF Coppen, Arthur Wilfred - 87th Bn – MM & Bar, KIA Hanington, Walter - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Hayden, Frederick Lancely - 13th Bn (CEF) – MM & Bar Hodgson, Thomas – 14th Bn (CEF) – MC, MM & Bar - One of three CGG to earn first CEF MM (3 June 1916) with 14th Bn Hussey, John - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Labelle, Joseph – 14th Bn (CEF) – DCM MM & Bar, RSM of 14th Battalion (Royal Montréal Regiment) Leet, Holly James - 87th Bn – MM & Bar McGanley, Hugh - 18th Bn (CEF) – MM & Bar Potter, Ernest Edwin – 1st Bn CEF – DCM, MM & Bar Preston, Ebenezer Menzies - 87th Bn - DSO, MM & Bar, Recommened for a Victroria Cross (See above) Savoy, Andrew L. - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Smith, Walter John - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Taylor, Isaac - 87th Bn – MM & Bar Thompson, George Edward – 87th Bn - MM & Bar, KIA

Created By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Create Date

June 11, 2026

Updated By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Update Date

June 20, 2026