THE IGS 1895 AWARDED TO PRIVATE C. O’LEARY, 1ST BATTALION KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, WHO WAS A SURVIVOR OF THE WRECK OF THE ROYAL INDIAN MARINE SHIP WARREN HASTINGS, WRECKED ON THE NIGHT OF 14TH JANUARY 1897
£395.00
THE IGS 1895 AWARDED TO PRIVATE C. O’LEARY, 1ST BATTALION KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, WHO WAS A SURVIVOR OF THE WRECK OF THE ROYAL INDIAN MARINE SHIP WARREN HASTINGS, WRECKED ON THE NIGHT OF 14TH JANUARY 1897. India General Service Medal 1895, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (engraved in running script: 5918 Pte. C. O’Leary 1st. Bn. K.R. Rifles). Official correction to last 2 digits of regimental number, otherwise Almost Extremely Fine.
With 4 pages photocopied service papers and photocopied medal rolls for IGS 1895 and QSA, confirming O’Leary entitled 1895 India Medal and single clasp Relief of Chitral and QSA with clasps Cape Colony, Transvaal, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek.
Christopher O’Leary, born in the parish of St Mark’s, Dublin, enlisted into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Dublin on 10/9/1890. At time of enlistment he was 18 years and 6 months old and gave his trade as that of house fitter. O’Leary never rose above the rank of Private, and was finally discharged on 9/9/1902. Service papers confirm that, in addition to time spent at home, O’Leary saw service in Burma, 18/9/1891 to 6/10/1892, in India from 7/10/1892 to 17/1/1897, in Mauritius from 18/1/1897 to 17/7/1898, and in South Africa from 4/11/1899 to 25/8/1902.
Service papers confirm service with the 1st Battalion KRRC on 13th – 14th January 1897, when the Warren Hastings was wrecked whilst en route from South Africa to Mauritius, and that he was still with the battalion when it eventually landed in Mauritius on 18/1/1897.
O’Leary’s service papers, when listing the campaigns that he took part in, in addition to referring to the campaigns in Burma, India and South Africa, also list him as having taken part in the “Field Gun Drill” of 17/5/1898 (this would have taken place in Mauritius).
Service papers give O’Leary’s next of kin as his mother, Margaret, of 4 Boyne Street, Dublin.