A good Great War ‘Messines’ D.S.O. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant Colonel J. A. J. Farrell, Leinster Regiment, later King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (Capt., D.S.O., K.O.Y.L.I.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, with bar, North Africa 1942-43; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, generally very fine or better (9) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Michael McGoona Collection to the Leinster Regiment.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 December 1917.

Lieutenant Colonel John Arthur Joseph Farrell, D.S.O. was one of five brothers who served with the Leinster Regiment during the Great War. On 7 June 1917, the 7th Battalion, Leinster Regiment, were in the trenches awaiting the signal to attack. An enemy shell landed on Regimental Headquarters killing or wounding every Regimental Officer. Captain Farrell, although badly shaken, took command of the battalion and led it out of the trenches to capture its objectives. For this action, he was awarded the D.S.O. (regimental history refers). In 1922 the Leinster Regiment was disbanded and Major Farrell transferred to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He served with this regiment in India on the North West Frontier during 1930-31. He retired from the army in 1935, but in 1939 was recalled to duty as a staff officer with the Royal Air Force. He was later placed on Regimental Duty as Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, and from 1941 till 1945, he served in the Middle East as GSO2, Permanent President of Courts martial, Middle East Land Forces, and as a Military Government Staff Officer. See previous lot for his brother’s group. Sold with further research detail.