Comprising:
(a) CVSM, unnamed as issued;
(b) 1939-45 War Medal, silver Canadian Issue, unnamed as issued;
(c) Efficiency Decoration, GRI, w/ CANADA suspender, Capt R.C. [sic] Pickrell; and
(d) Cdn Assoc of Chiefs of Police, Police Service Medal, w/ bar, rev eng Awarded by “CN to R.G. Pickrell 1960" and numbered “153". [Awarded for 20 years service; replaced in 1983 by the Police ESM.]
Medals are unmounted, toned, EF
* ED awarded in GO 98 of 1945
++ Entitled to WW I trio (3980 Pte, 1/12 County of London Regt and RFC/RAF)
Bob Pickrell, a veteran of WW I, long service Militia officer and CNR Policeman was a champion pistol shot and war-time small arms instructor.
His WW I medals and the great majority of his shooting prizes were given away in his lifetime. The remainder stands as testimony to the professional life of this remarkable Canadian.
Robert Pickrell was born at Guildford, England ca. 1896. He served in WW I initially in the 1/12 County of London Regt and was commissioned in the RFC/RAF. He entered the French theatre of operations on 5 Sep 1915 and is entitled to a Great War trio. After the war, he emigrated to Canada, and joined the CNR Police at Winnipeg.
He took up competitive pistol shooting in 1927, winning the US Novice Revolver and Canadian Senior Revolver, Pistol and Rapid Fire Championships in 1928. He won the Canadian Senior Revolver, Pistol and Rapid Fire Championships every year thereafter from 1929 to 1939. During the same period he won all the US senior titles for pistol and revolver shooting at least once, and in 1935 he won the Scottish Pistol Championship at St. Andrews, the British Empire Revolver Championship at Birmingham and tied for the World Revolver Championship at Rome. He was Captain of both the Canadian International Pistol Team and Canadian Team in the British Empire Pistol Match from 1936-41. When he retired from competitive shooting, he held three world and four British Empire records for revolver shooting, and all Canadian records for pistol and revolver shooting.
He enlisted in the Winnipeg Grenadiers, and was commissioned 2nd Lt on 15 Sep 1929, was promoted Captain on 2 Nov 1933 and earned a Machine-Gun certificate in 1936. His active service in WW II was entirely in Canada. He was appointed Acting Major on 14 Feb 1942, and promoted to Major on 31 Jul 1942. He was posted from his regiment to 11 District Depot on 21 Jun 1943 and thence to S3 Canadian Small Arms School (Staff) on 27 Nov 1943. He reverted to the rank of Captain at his own request and was seconded to the “I.B of UK & C.” [Instructional Battalion of the United Kingdom & Canada?] from 21 April 1944 until 31 Dec 1945, on posting to No. 10 District Depot. Capt (T/Maj) R.G. Pickrell was struck off strength of 10 DD and placed on the Retired List with the rank of Major on 16 Jan 1946.
Bob Pickrell retired from the CNR Police in 1961 and moved to Burnaby, BC. He died at Burnaby 18 Jan 1979 and is buried there at Ocean View Cemetery.
The following additional items accompany his medals:
(e) Heavy sterling silver plaque, 36x50 mm; obv bears bust of Henry Birks & dates 1840-1928; rev eng “Record of Indoor Season 1930 won by R.G. Pickrell Score 187", toned;
(f) gilt sterling pistol medallion HM JRG&S[Gaunt] for Birmingham 1930, rev engr “Canadian Open Police Championship 1930 Presented by Canadian Industries Limited Dominion Ammunition Division”;
(g) gilt pistol shooting medallion, plain rev imp “Championship won by 1938" with gilt chain, likely worn as a watch fob;
(h) prize spoon, w/ sterling/en badge “Dominion of Canada Rifle Assn / Special”, by A.C. Brown, sterling;
(i) sterling silver membership “card”, 98x59 mm, engr, “Canadian National Rifle & Revolver Assn / Winnipeg - Canada / This is to Certify / That Major R.G. Pickrell / has been awarded / Honorary Life Membership / March 8th 1946 / [number] 165 C.D. French / Secretary Treasurer”;
(j) bullion embr blazer badge “Canada / maple leaf / Rome 1935" as worn for the World Championship that year;
(k) booklet, 13 pp, The Use and Care of Firearms by Major R.G. Pickrell, ED, International Revolver Champion, Inspector of Investigation Canadian National Railways;
(l) plaque (shooting trophy), wooden shield approx 24x25 cm (9 ½ x 9 3/4 in) w/ bzd metal device inscribed, “Winnipeg Revolver Assn / 1933 / Rapid Fire Champion”, w/ additional small shield plate inscribed “Won by Capt R.G. Pickrell”. This trophy is seen in accompanying photo of shooting prizes, etc.
Sold with the group and additional artifacts are a number of scans of contemporary clippings and photographs of Bob Pickrell and his array of trophies, including one showing the blazer badge above in wear and prize plaque, and his photocopied MIC and photocopied extracts from various Militia/Army Orders and Lists outlining his military service.
This is an outstanding group of medals and associated artefacts to a long service Police and Militia Officer who was the “Mr Pistol” of his time. Much more research potential.
Also available, but sold separately are two revolvers (deactivated and de-registered).
