PRIVATE J. FREER, 3rd BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT (KING’S COUNTY MILITIA). Queen’s South A

PRIVATE J. FREER, 3rd BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT (KING’S COUNTY MILITIA). Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, type 2 (ghost dates just visible on reverse), 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, officially impressed (1526 Private, Leinster Regiment). Few minor rim nicks, otherwise attractively toned and Almost Extremely Fine.

With photocopied medal roll extracts, confirming medal and clasps, and that recipient also entitled KSA with 2 clasps. Medal also accompanied by 3 pages photocopied Militia attestation papers, photocopied extract from “The Constitutional Force” re the services of the 3rd Battalion Leinster Regiment in South Africa, photocopied extracts from the Regimental History and extract from the 1911 Irish census.

Born in the parish of Kilbride, Tullamore, King’s County (now Co. Offaly), John Freer enlisted into the 3rd Battalion Leinster Regiment for the second time on 2/12/1897 (enlistment papers confirm Freer as having previously served with the 3rd Battalion, purchasing his discharge in August 1897). At the time of his second enlistment Freer stated that he was 18 years and 2 months old, was employed by Goodbodys of Tullamore and gave his trade as labourer. Freer joined the Special Service Section of the 3rd Leinsters, volunteering to undertake service abroad with the regular army, should he be required, on 20/5/1899. Papers record Freer as being absent from training in 1903, and his KSA Medal roll records him as actually having deserted in 1903.

Transvaal clasp scarce to the 3rd Battalion Leinster Regiment. Approximately 100 awarded. These would all appear to have been awarded to the detachment of 100 men from the 3rd Leinsters who served with the Kimberley Column for six months in a mounted capacity, under Major Barry of the 3rd Leinsters. Extract from Regimental History gives details of the services of the Kimberley Column, initially in pursuit of a force under the Boer general Christian De Wet, and later during the action at Tweebosch, 7/3/1902, when a British column under General Lord Methuen was routed and destroyed by a Boer force under General De La Rey. Some three-quarters of the officers and men under Methuen being killed were wounded or taken prisoner, one of the worst defeats suffered by the British Army in South Africa, the captured including Methuen himself, the most senior British officer to be taken prisoner by the Boers during the war.

Following his 1903 desertion Freer moved to Dublin. The 1911 census records John Freer as a married 30 year old general labourer from Kings County, living at Chamber Street, Merchant’s Quay, Dublin. If John Freer was 30 years of age in 1911, this would imply that he lied about his age when re-enlisting in December 1897. Rather than being 18 years old, he would have been 17 when he re-enlisted in 1897.