TOPIC:

I'm rather pleased with these two little beauties I've just won on an online auction site

Queens South Africa and Long Service and Good Conduct medal to:

2582 Sergeant Drummer Charles Ilsley, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Medals included in the sale are:

•Queens South Africa, two clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State
•Long Service and Good Conduct, Edward VII

Please note that the QSA is named 'Illsley'.

Both medals awarded to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Charles Ilsley was born in Sussex in 1859 and enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1889 aged 30. Ilsley had already completed 4 years as a Drummer in the Royal Artillery.

After service in South Africa in the Boer War with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwicks Ilsley left the army for a second time in 1906 with a combined total of 21 years service.

Included with the sale are copies of his service records for both RA (approx 4 pages) and Warwicks (approx 30 pages).

Charles Ilsley was to live in Osney in Oxfordshire after leaving the army, he rejoined the army in October 1914 with the reserve of the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry serving at home until 1917 as a Sergeant, probably as an instructor.

The two medals are his full entitlement.

I wonder how rare this rank is on QSA's? I shouldn't think it's very common which is what intrigued me - that and the paperwork which seems to be in abundance.









Regards

Rory

Rory,

It will be very interesting to see what that paperwork contains. A perfect basis for his biography.

Let's hope the seller despatches it to you quickly.

Best wishes
David