SERGEANT W. PAYNE, ROYAL INNISKILLING FUSILIERS AND OXFORDSHIRE (LATER REGIMENTAL QUARTERM

SERGEANT W. PAYNE, ROYAL INNISKILLING FUSILIERS AND OXFORDSHIRE (LATER REGIMENTAL QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY), WHO SAW SERVICE WITH THE INNISKILLING FUSILIERS IN INDIA DURING THE LATE 1890s AND DURING THE BOER WAR AND WITH THE OX AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY DURING WW1 AND WAS TWICE WOUNDED IN ACTION, DURING THE BOER WAR AT COLENSO, 15/12/1899 WHILST SERVING WITH THE 1ST BATTALION INNISKILLING FUSILIERS AND DURING WW1, SHRAPNEL WOUND TO THE HEAD, ON 23/6/1915, WHILST SERVING WITH THE 5TH BATTALION OXFORDSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY. Seven: India General Service Medal 1895, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (officially named, engraved in running script: 2448 Lce. C(or)pl. W. Payne 2d. Bn. Inn(s.) Fus.) Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Relief of Ladysmith, Belfast, Orange Free State (officially impressed: 2448 Cpl. W. PAYNE. 1st. RL: INNIS: FUS:) King’s South Africa Medal, 2 clasps (officially impressed: 2448 SERJT: W. PAYNE. INNIS: FUS:) 1914-15 Star (officially impressed: 9688 SJT. W. PAYNE. OXF: & BUCKS: L.I.) British War and Victory Medals (officially impressed: 9688 SERGT. W. PAYNE. OXF. &. BUCKS. L.I.) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Edward VII (officially impressed: 2448 SERJT. W. PAYNE. RL. INNIS: FUS.). Edge bruising to India General Service Medal (from repeated contact with other medals) partially obscuring naming details (as indicated) but service numbers India General Service Medal, Boer War medals and Long Service Medal all match, small edge bruise to QSA, otherwise generally Good Very Fine to Almost Extremely Fine.

Group accompanied by biographical details, extracts 1881 and 1911 census returns, copied service papers for two periods of service (10 pages for 1888 enlistment into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and 5 pages for 1914 enlistment into the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry), Chelsea Pensioner admission record (1909), copied medal roll extracts for the India General Service Medal and Boer War medals, copied WW1 medal index card and medal rolls, Silver War Badge roll and Boer War casualty roll. Medal rolls confirm medals and clasps.

Walter Payne was born in Slough, Buckinghamshire, on 4/7/1874, the son of Walter and Fanny Payne. Walter Payne is recorded in the 1881 census as a 7 year old schoolboy living in Slough with his father and mother and two younger sisters. Walter Payne senior died later in 1881, when Walter was still only 7 years old. Payne enlisted into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Aldershot on 29/2/1888. At the time of enlistment he was 14 years and 7 months old and gave his trade as that of musician. Payne was initially posted for service with the 2nd Battalion, transferred to the 1st Battalion, 7/3/1898 and posted back to the 2nd Battalion on 24/9/1904. Payne was promoted Corporal, 29/9/1898, Sergeant, 1899 and discharged on 28/2/1909 on the termination of his period of engagement after 21 years service with the colours, and was admitted a Chelsea Pensioner on 11/3/1909. He is recorded in the 1911 census as a 37 year old single man employed as a servant at the Royal Military College, Camberley, Surrey. Payne re-enlisted 15 days after the outbreak of WW1, into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, at Oxford, on 19/8/1914. At the time of re-enlistment he stated that he was 41 years and 1 month old, gave his gave his trade as that of engineer and confirmed that he had previously seen service with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (time expired). Payne was posted Private, 5th Battalion Ox & Bucks but promoted Sergeant on the same day and Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant on 9/3/1915. Payne reverted to Sergeant at his own request on 6/5/1915 and was reduced to Private on 1/6/1915, being tried by a General Court Martial charged with conduct, while on active duty, to the prejudice of good order and sentenced to be reduced in the ranks and 42 days field punishment. Payne was once again promoted Sergeant, 23/11/1915 and discharged “no longer physically fit for war service” on 6/12/1915, after 1 year and 110 days service during WW1, having suffered a shrapnel wound to the head on 23/6/1915, one month after being court martialed. At the time of discharge Payne was 42 years old, and had seen service in the British army during a period spanning some 27 years. Walter Payne died on 3/10/1945 at the age of 72. Payne was also entitled to the Silver War Badge, the roll confirming that he was discharged as a result of wounds.

There was another Walter Payne who saw service with the 5th Battalion Ox & Bucks Light Infantry during WW1 as 29197 Private Walter Payne (entitled British War and Victory Medals), possibly a relative of the recipient.