The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 12, March 25, 2007, Article 16

WILLIAM HALL'S VICTORIA CROSS DISPLAYED IN NOVA SCOTIA

The Chronicle-Herald of Halifax, Nova Scotia published an article this
week about the upcoming sale of the Victoria Cross medal belonging to
William Hall, the first black Nova Scotian to win the honor:

"As near as can be established, Hall was born at or near Horton, N.S.
Several years are given for his birth: 1821, 1827 or 1828. British
records show that he joined the Royal Navy at Liverpool, England, in
1852, as an able seaman aboard HMS Rodney, which was sent to the Black
Sea during the Crimean War (1854-56).

"For Hall's service in that war, he was awarded the Crimea Medal with
bars for Sebastopol and Inkerman, two honours which "were not earned
easily," Admiral Pullen commented in one of his letters. Hall also
received the Turkish Crimea Medal.

"The fall of 1857 found Hall as a captain of the fore top aboard HMS
Shannon on his way to service in India where, by a deed which required
unbelievable tenacity and courage under heavy fire, Hall earned his
Victoria Cross.

"In 1966, Admiral Pullen, then retired, was appointed to the Atlantic
provinces pavilion at Expo '67. He thought the Montreal Expo would
provide an excellent showplace for Hall's story and, specifically, a
display of his medals. He set about obtaining them, only to find that
they had disappeared.

"They had been seen in public at Hall's funeral. Shortly before his
burial, they were removed from his body and given to members of his
family."

[The story describes Admiral Pullen's tenacious quest to locate the
medals.  He finally obtained them by purchasing another set of medals
which he was able to trade for Hall's medals. -Editor]

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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