THE VICTORIA CROSS AND CAMPAIGN MEDALS AWARDED TO COMPANY SERGEANT MAJOR COLIN BARRON, 3RD BN. ( 1ST CENTRAL ONTARIO REGIMENT ), CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE HAVE BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY SPINK OF LONDON ( UK )
5 December 2017


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Company Sergeant Major Colin Barron,
3rd Bn, ( 1st Central Ontario Regiment ), CEF

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal ( 1914-20 )
  • Victory Medal ( 1914-19 )
  • 1939-45 Star
  • Defence Medal ( 1939-45 )
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal ( 1939-45 )
    • 'Maple Leaf' clasp
  • War Medal ( 1939-45 )
  • King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
  • Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal ( 1899 )


The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Company Sergeant Major Colin Barron, 3rd Bn, ( 1st Central Ontario Regiment ), Canadian Expeditionary Force, have been sold at a Spink ( UK ) auction on the 5th December 2017. The sale was conducted in Canadian dollars. The sale estimate being between CAN $250,000 and CAN $300,000 ( £149,000 and £179,000 ).

The Colin Barron VC group is held in Canada and therefore if the Victoria Cross group is bought by an overseas buyer a Cultural Property Export Permit will have to be granted to take the VC out of Canada.

The sale hammer price realised CAN $350,000 ( £206,000 ). The purchaser of the VC group was the Canadian War Museum, in conjunction with Lesley Barron - Kerr the great great granddaughter of Colin Barron.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 11 January 1918 ], Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium, 9 November 1917, Corporal Colin Fraser Barron, 3rd Bn ( 1st Central Ontario Regiment ), CEF.

For conspicuous bravery ( Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium ) when in attack his unit was held up by three machine-guns. Corporal Barron opened on them from a flank at point-blank range, rushed the enemy guns single-handed, killed four of the crew, and captured the remainder. He then, with remarkable initiative and skill, turned one of the captured guns on the retiring enemy, causing them severe casualties.

The remarkable dash and determination displayed by this N.C.O. in rushing the guns produced far-reaching results, and enabled the advance to be continued.

Colin Barron was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 6th April 1918.


Colin Barron died on the 15th August 1958 and was buried in Toronto's Prospect Cemetery.

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Iain Stewart, 5 December 2017